


Honeytrap

by cunningdeb



Category: Adam Lambert - Fandom, Kris Allen - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Dom/sub, Dubious Consent, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Situations, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-08
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-01-23 23:43:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1583762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cunningdeb/pseuds/cunningdeb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> A 'honeytrap' is the use of seduction in a spy operation

“He’s late.”

“Give him a break Matt. He deserved more time off than he got. What’s a few more minutes?”

“I don’t care but Cowell will have his ….”

“In his dreams,” Adam Lambert replied, walking into the office like he owned the world.

Hands and voices rose, welcoming him back. Adam dropped his shoulder bag on the floor under his desk, turned on his computer and fell back into his chair with a big sigh.

Kris Allen sat back as his co-worker and best friend was bombarded with questions about his vacation and any hook-ups he may have had. Adam had actually gotten home from Cancun last night and they’d spent over an hour on the phone catching up – he’d already heard the details but it was fun to watch the others try to worm said details out of his friend.

The two men had known each other for just over ten years. They first met at the LA police academy and became fast buddies. Upon graduation, they were sent to different precincts but kept in touch. Adam was Kris’ best man at his wedding and there for him with a shoulder to cry on and a case of beer when the fledgling marriage fell apart due to the stress of the job. Both were ambitious, continuing their education and making detectives within two years of joining the force. Each had an impeccable record in their respective precincts and, as fate would have it, when the local federal agency were recruiting new agents, both had been approached with offers. Adam had called his best friend first; Kris would have had that honor if he hadn’t stopped to grab a beer from the fridge. The talked it out, weighed the pros and cons, reviewed the job description and what would be expected of them. They were up to the challenge and accepted.

That was five years ago. Since then they’d been involved in dozens of cases he couldn’t talk about – even in reminisces – and they’d been there for each other constantly. Kris even took a bullet in the shoulder for Adam once. Life as a Special Agent was insane and unfathomable and neither one would change their jobs for anything.

“And so I took him back to my room and …,” Adam was saying, everyone on their edge of their seats.

“Agent Lambert, the Director needs to see you … now.”

Adam left the story dangling and followed the Director’s assistant. Behind him, Matt was yelling that he couldn’t leave the story there. The others in the room laughed and Kris kept silent, refusing to put Matt out of his misery.

 

~ xXx ~

 

The federal building was large and minimally decorated. The agents did their best to spruce up their area but the rest was gray and sterile looking and very … government. Adam followed silently behind the Director’s assistant, wondering what his boss could want.

He hadn’t even been in the building for fifteen minutes yet.

When they reached the office, Adam stood by the assistant’s desk while she notified Director Cowell that Agent Lambert was here. Without a word, she sat at her desk and Adam entered the inner sanctum, closing the door tight behind him.

“Director.”

“Agent Lambert, take a seat.”

No ‘how was your vacation’ … ‘good to have you back’ … ‘did you bring me a souvenir’.

Adam took a seat and Cowell pressed a remote on his desk, igniting a full wall of video screens, still photos and reports.

“Reggie O’Dowd,” Cowell stated. “Does the name ring any bells?”

“Yes sir.”

Reggie O’Dowd was well known to the government for having his fingers and toes in any kind of illegal operation that turned a profit. So far, he was known to have dabbled in drugs, counterfeit money, human trafficking and arms dealing - and that was just what they knew about. The government had been after him for decades but the man’s army of lawyers had managed to keep him free so far.

“He’s moving into our jurisdiction.”

“I thought he was settled in Boston.”

“He was but for whatever reason, he decided to move his operation to Los Angeles. Except for his most trusted employees, O’Dowd has completely cleaned house. There were two uncover agents in his organization but he let them go. They were close to getting the goods on him but unfortunately they hadn’t managed to get themselves in a trusted enough position to have access to the necessary information.”

While they were talking, Cowell had slipped a file to him across the desk. Adam looked through it, impressed and little frightened at the extent of this man’s reach. 

“We need to get someone into his organization and this is where you come in.”

“Sir?”

“I know you just finished an undercover operation and I should give this assignment to another agent but you are uniquely qualified for this role.” Cowell sat down and tee-peed his fingers, eyes staring straight into the young man’s, holding his gaze. “Normally, I would assign a job and that would be that. This time, however, after you’ve heard what we expect of you, I will give you the opportunity to decline.”

Adam had no idea what this assignment could entail – or what made him ‘uniquely qualified’ – but he couldn’t help asking, “Would it cause problems for the agency if I turned down the assignment?”

“It would but we would just have to come up with another way in.”

The young man chewed his bottom lip, closed the file and stated, “Tell me about it.”

 

~ xXx ~

 

Kris sat at his desk, taping his fingers on the file in front of him. His eyes were glued to the door. Adam had been in the Director’s office for almost half an hour and curiosity was eating away at Kris’ gut. They usually worked as partners; it was unusual for them not to be in the loop together.

Heavy footsteps began echoing down the hall. Kris sat up, ready to demand answers. It was Adam alright, but he kept on going past the open door, not even stopping when Kris called out his name. Jumping to his feet, Kris bolted into the hallway, just in time to find Adam gone but to hear the door to the stairwell click shut.

Adam always headed up to the roof when he needed to think, joking the smog gave him clarity.

Kris sat back at his desk, trying to be patient and give the other man space. They talked about work constantly so he knew his friend would fill him in … eventually. 

Patience wasn’t one of Kris’ strongest virtues and after five minutes, he couldn’t take it anymore and walked briskly down the hall then broke into an upward jog once he got on the stairs.

Adam leaned against the waist high ledge, hands clasped as his eyes scanned the city he loved so much. Cowell had given him a lot to think over. He’d never done anything like this before and while he had his reservations, he couldn’t deny that he wasn’t a little excited, even if he felt like a pervert for thinking that way.

“Hey,” Kris casually said, joining him at the ledge.

“Hey.”

They looked down on the busy street below, each waiting for the other to start the inevitable conversation.

“So … how was your trip to Cancun?”

“You know how my trip was.”

“Right … we, ah, already talked about that.”

“Yeah.”

More silence.

“Bet you wish you’d had more time off.”

“It would have been nice but I missed you guys.”

“I … we missed you too.”

Adam rubbed the dark stubble on his chin then pointed his gaze at his companion. “You’re dying to know, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Kris ….”

“Okay, tell me. You can tell me, right?”

“Yeah.” Adam moved away from the ledge and sat on a low utility box. Kris joined him. “Cowell wants to put me undercover ….”

“But you just finished an undercover assignment.”

“I know, I was there,” Adam mildly joked. “Anyway, he wants me to get the goods on Reggie O’Dowd.”

“You’re going to Boston?”

“No, for some yet-to-be-discovered reason, O’Dowd is moving his operation to LA. He left most of his associates on the East Coast and the two operatives that were already working on the case got left behind. Besides, they weren’t getting anywhere. Cowell seems to think I could do a better job … get closer to him.”

“So he wants you in his inner circle. Wow … that’s going to take a while; he doesn’t trust very easily.”

“True,” Adam replied, looking anywhere but at his friend, “but he lusts very easily.”

Kris wasn’t sure he heard him right.

“What the hell does that mean?”

Adam sighed, “Cowell wants me to set up a ‘honeytrap’.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. He can’t make you do that!”

“True. He gave me the option of turning the assignment down.”

“Good! That’s just … it’s sick, that’s what it is. You should report him for even suggesting that!”

“I’m doing it Kris. I agreed.”

Kris laughed one of those ‘you’re shitting me’ kinda laughs, like Adam had just told the funniest joke ever. The problem was, Adam wasn’t laughing. In fact, he looked more serious than Kris had ever seen him.

“You can’t be serious! Adam, what the hell are you thinking?!”

“I’m thinking that this guy needs to be taken down and if I have to sleep with devil to do, I will!”

Kris started pacing. He just couldn’t look at Adam for the moment. This was insane … this whole situation was fucking insane … how could Cowell ask him this … how could Adam agree … how could he let that SOB touch … do … lay a hand on him!

“Listen man,” Adam stated calmly, “we have a general idea what this guy is into and you need to agree he has to be stopped.”

Kris kept pacing but he nodded his head.

“I read his file Kris … I know all the dirty details – selling drugs to minors, arming militant groups … Kris, he sells people! He has no conscious. Think of everyone he has hurt, everyone he could hurt in the future if he’s not stopped.” Adam sat down again and lowered his head, “I couldn’t live with myself if I knew I could stop him and I didn’t.”

The pacing stopped and Kris took a seat beside his best friend.

“Adam … I’m worried and … and scared for you. I’m sorry but I just can’t wrap my mind around you doing this.”

“I don’t need you to understand Kris, I just need your help in this.”

“Anything … I’ll do whatever you want.”

Adam smiled.

“I told Cowell one condition of my doing this is to have you head up my support team. I know it’s asking a lot of you ….”

“You don’t need to say anything else; there’s no way I won’t back you up.”

“Kris, you need to understand something. I’m going to be bugged for sound, possibly for video if the tech department can figure something out. You … you’re going to hear everything … not just the info we’re after but … everything else.” A blush crept over Adam’s cheeks. “Can you handle hearing us having sex? I know you have no problem with me being gay but there’s a difference between being okay with it and witnessing it first-hand. I don’t want you to think less of me for doing this.”

Before they knew what was happening, the two men were hugging and Kris was whispering into Adam’s ear, “I could never think less of you. You’re the bravest person I know. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise,” Adam whispered back.


	2. The Trap is Set

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope it’s not too confusing jumping back and forth between Adam and Timothy. They are the same person; just remember where Reggie is concerned, it’s ‘Timothy’, otherwise it’s ‘Adam’.

It took a month to get everything in place and to complete Adam’s physical transformation. 

Reggie was very specific in his taste in boys. While he was in his fifties, he preferred men in their twenties … thirty-five tops. Adam was thirty-two so they decided to leave him at that age. The syndicate boss liked blondes, natural or not, so Adam dyed his black hair. Au naturale, Adam was a ginger so his light body hair somewhat matched the new hair. The older man liked his boys edgy but not too edgy. To meet these requirements, Adam pierced his nose with a small hoop and his earlobes and he had a bar pierced into the shell of his right ear. To finish the look, the young agent had a tattoo sleeve done. When he was a teen, Adam had wanted one but his parents wouldn’t authorize it. By the time he was old enough to decide for himself, he’d gone into the police academy and a tat sleeve was the last thing on his mind. Over the years, he’d gotten only one tat on his right hand. It said ‘Oofta’, a Norwegian term to express surprise, a souvenir from his longest relationship to date. His new wardrobe consisted on designer suits and accessories but he also had some special clothing set aside for honeytrap purposes. Reggie liked his men to wear make-up and Adam had no problem with that. During his teen years, he was a club kid, constantly painting his face outrageously and changing hair color like most people changed socks. 

Back then he went crazy; this time it had to be tasteful.

To complete the transformation, Adam needed a new life. His cover was a single man and a successful freelance graphic designer, originally from Denver, Colorado. Adam had artistic ability so it was easy to pull that off even though it meant spending three weeks drawing and mounting his ‘work’ for display in his home. A portfolio of fake clients was created, all of them agents. He would work out of his house, a 20’s style bungalow in a quiet LA neighborhood. 

By the time they were ready to put the operation into action, Agent Adam Lambert had faded away into temporary obscurity and Timothy Fairchild took his place.

While Adam was getting his part in this sting organized, Kris and his fellow agents were setting up Adam’s support team. Timothy Fairchild’s house was wired for sound and discreet video cameras were installed in every room but the bathroom. This was not only for Adam’s protection but to tape Reggie if their trap worked and he came to Timothy’s home. The support team set up shop in a house three doors down from Timothy and had security cameras overlooking the street. Kris and Matt would man it 24/7 while the rest of the team assisted and helped with outside operations. 

For his own protection, as well as for more info, Adam himself would be wired. The bar piercing was actually a microphone, activated when he pressed the back of it. There was also a GPS component to it so they could keep constant track of him, even when the audio feature was off. Utilizing satellites, Adam could be heard within a 100 mile radius and physically located anywhere in the world.

Kris tried to think of this as any other sting operation but he couldn’t help dwelling on what Adam was going to do – seduce the kingpin. A honeytrap wasn’t a new concept to him but it was usually women seducing men. On occasion, a male agent seduced a female suspect but Kris had never heard of a male agent seducing another man. Any way you sliced it, Kris didn’t like it, no matter who was seducing whom.

Another group of agents had been tracking O’Dowd’s movements. They wanted to see what establishments he frequented in order to set up the chance meeting. During a briefing, it was agreed that O’Dowd had to seek Timothy out, not the other way around. This way, O’Dowd wouldn’t be suspicious of some guy trying to get close to him. Adam had reviewed the personal file on the target, memorizing his likes and dislikes, anything that could give him an edge and attract his interest. 

This night Adam, Kris, and Ashley were sitting around the bungalow, trying to act normal in an abnormal situation. Ashely was watching TV, Adam was sitting on the couch trying not to chew on his newly manicured and painted fingernails, and Kris was running over all the details in his head. With everything in place, they were just awaiting word from a field agent that they had located Reggie O’Dowd out in public.

“The guy hasn’t been seen in public in four days,” Ashely sighed.

“Then he’s due to show up,” Adam replied, running a thumb over the gunmetal polish, “I forgot how funny this feel.”

“Did you use to paint your nails?” she asked.

“Oh yeah … I was a wild child Ash.”

“I find that hard to believe. You seem so … I don’t know … responsible now.”

“Old age will do that to a person,” Kris teased.

“Watch it buddy, we’re the same age.”

Kris’ phone rang and they all jumped.

“Hey, it’s Matt. O’Dowd has been located. He’s at an Irish pub with two associates. He just arrived so you better get your asses moving. Don’t know how long he’s going to hang around. I’m sending you the address.”

Kris got the address and sent it to Adam’s cell while Adam headed to the bathroom to check his look before going out. He wanted to be tempting but not trashy so he went with tight black jeans, pointed dark boots, a dark charcoal gray, long sleeve button-up shirt unbuttoned to the perfect spot on his chest, and a darker grey vest over that. His newly blond hair was short at the sides and high on top, the bangs dipping down a bit over his forehead. He checked his necklace, bracelets, and rings before touching up the black eyeliner that accentuated his smoky eyes and he finished with a bit of gloss to highlight his lip freckles.

Before leaving the bathroom, he pushed the back of his bar piercing.

“Testing. Do you hear me Matt?”

There was a brief pause then Kris called from the living room.

“Roger that.”

“Good,” he said into the unwired room, “I’m turning off until I reach the pub. I’m out.”

With that, he clicked the bar again.

“You’re disconnected,” Kris called out again.

“Adam, you’re beautiful. Get your ass out here!” Ashely yelled.

“Coming.”

The trio left Timothy’s house, locked up and headed to their cars. Kris and Ashley would arrive first, posing as a couple. They would seek out a spot to watch both O’Dowd and Adam. Kris had a phone earpiece that wouldn’t look out of place. When Adam activates his piercing, Kris would be able to eavesdrop on the conversation. Adam, a.k.a. Timothy, would arrive ten minutes later in his black mustang and would seek out the best spot to catch the kingpin’s eye. At first, Adam was concerned O’Dowd might frequent places Adam went to and he could be possibly recognized but as it turned out, the older man was more conservative and that wouldn’t be a problem.

 

~ xXx ~

 

When Kris and Ashley got to the pub, they found it fairly busy but there were good seats to be had. Looking around, the agents located their target and occupied a booth that gave them a clear view of him and his companions. Reggie O’Dowd was a large man, a few inches taller than Adam’s 6 foot 1 inch frame, and bulkier. Adam could still take the man down but part of this disguise was that Timothy was a ‘bottom’ so O’Dowd would feel a sense of control and hopefully be less suspicious of him. The three men were deep in conversation and O’Dowd didn’t seem to take notice of anything happening around him.

Adam would have his work cut out for him.

“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll have an iced tea and what do you want honey?”

Kris moved his attention to his ‘date’ and then the server.

“I’ll have a draft beer.”

The server left and Ashley glared at him.

“Do you think that was wise?”

“What?” he absentmindedly replied, eyes on the entrance.

“Having alcohol. You need a clear mind Kris.”

“One beer isn’t going to affect me. Besides, it looks more authentic one of us drinking liquor since we are in a bar … that and you can drive us back after.”

A tall figure appeared in the doorway and Kris snapped into agent mode. Adam looked around and spotted his friends – only acknowledging them with a sustained glance during which Kris tilted his head slightly in the direction of O’Dowd. Adam took his time looking around and spotted their target. A small round table with two chairs was within ten feet of O’Dowd’s table so Adam casually moved his way through the crowd and took a seat, making sure he was in the older man’s line of sight.

“Good evening, can I get you something to drink?”

“Good evening,” Adam replied, his tone softening a little but his voice still strong, “Do you carry Midleton?”

“Yes we do.”

“Wonderful.”

Though Adam wasn’t a whiskey drinker, their research showed O’Dowd’s favorite drink was Midleton 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, a hard-to-come-by beverage from County Cork, O’Dowd’s birthplace. While he waited for his drink, he leaned back, crossed his long legs and looked around. He could hear the conversation at O’Dowd’s table but couldn’t make out what was being said over the noise of the other patrons. He kept his eyes to the other man’s table and waited. Adam’s whiskey was half gone by the time O’Dowd looked up and they made contact. Holding up his drink in a one-sided toast, Adam smiled and cocked an eyebrow. O’Dowd smiled back at him and then got distracted by the man beside him.

Shit, Adam was going to have to something less subtle to get his attention.

He tried to think but it was hard with the racket from the jukebox. He loved music but this wasn’t music, it was caterwauling. Adam was even more stumped when a cheer arose – maybe they were cheering because it was the end of the song. It took a moment but he finally caught on that the bar had a karaoke machine and some drunk was singing.

Maybe ….

Getting up, he approached the gal in charge of the entertainment and arranged to sing. Looking down the list of songs available, he came upon the perfect choice. O’Dowd was a huge fan of the Beatles and this one song had the right tone and perfect lyric to grab the older man’s attention. 

The music started and so did Adam.

♫ I read the news today oh boy  
About a lucky man who made the grade  
And thought the news was rather sad  
Well I just had to laugh …. ♫

The song started slow and contemplative. Adam kept his eyes on the lyrics for the first verse then raised his gaze for the second. O’Dowd was looking his way, interest on his face. Making eye contact and not letting go, the singer seductively declared:

♫ I want to tuuurrrrnnn … youuuuuu … onnnnn …. ♫

The music went from somewhat acoustic to psychedelic, growing in volume and intensity. Adam let the sexy feel of the music flow through him. Adam let his mouth go slack suggestively like he was being stroked and then he bite his bottom lip as if he was holding back a groan. O’Dowd didn’t stop looking at him. In fact, one of the associates tried to say something and the kingpin held a hand up in his face, effectively shutting him up.

The tone of the music lightened and so did Adam’s performance. He smiled and played the crowd, making sure to return his eyes to O’Dowd. The older man was smiling.

Kris and Ashely watched from their booth.

“Adam’s got him,” Ashley declared triumphantly.

“Let’s hope he keeps him,” Kris replied warily. 

The song ended and the crowd roared. Adam tried to return to his table but the patrons demanded an encore. Over at his own table, O’Dowd was also applauding and calling out for an encore. In that case, Adam had the perfect song to land the big fish. No Irishman … or Irishwoman worth their salt … could resist this song. He told the gal beside him what he was going to sing next and when she moved to call up the musical accompaniment, Adam stopped her. He was going to sing acapella and as soon as the first three words left his mouth, the bar fell into silence.

♫ Oh Danny Boy …. ♫

You could have heard a pin drop until the second verse when slowly, the listeners joined in and became a chorus. Kris noticed O’Dowd was singing along and he hoped Adam had noticed too. He knew Adam had done musical theatre when he was a kid and teenager but he’d never heard him. With pipes like that, Adam could have become a world famous singer. Then again, if he had pursued music they never would have met and Kris wasn’t sure how his life would have turned out without his best friend.

♫ But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying  
If I am dead, as dead I well may be  
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying  
And kneel and say an ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me  
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be  
For you will bend and tell me that you love me  
And I shall sleep in peace until you come … to … me …. ♫

Once again, the patrons erupted, many jumping to their feet. Kris and Ashley lost sight of O’Dowd and when people started sitting, they noticed O’Dowd’s table was empty. Damn it all to hell. There was no way Kris could let Adam know they’d lost their chance.

Adam slowly made his way to his table, manoeuver between people clapping him on the back and complimenting him. He was nearly at his table when he crashed into a brick wall … a brick wall that caught his upper arms in a vice grip as he lost his balance. Adam looked up and came face to face with the man of the hour.

“Thanks for catching me,” he smiled, regaining his balance. 

Under the pretense of checking his hair, Adam activated the mic in his piercing. When Kris’ earpiece came to life he nearly knocked his beer over. The moment he heard the deeper voice, one kind of anxiety left and another took its place.

“No problem. May I join you?”

“Why not?”

The men sat down and the server appeared.

“I’d like to buy you a drink. What’s your poison?”

Adam smiled slyly, “Midleton.”

“Midleton Irish Whiskey?”

“Is there any other?”

“Not as far as I’m concerned. Two Midletons. You hungry?”

“No, no … I’m good.”

“That’s everything.”

The two men sized each other up. O’Dowd had dark red hair in a ponytail and wore a black on black on black monochromatic suit popular at the turn of the millennium. The server returned with their drinks and O’Dowd chugged his down. Adam noticed his hands were huge with lots of rings and manicured nails, an ironic visualization that the criminal tried not to get his hands dirty.

“You a singer?”

“No, just a hobby of sorts. I’m a graphic designer … freelance.”

O’Dowd reached out and took Adam’s hand, inspecting it. 

“Not surprised. You have the hands of an artist.”

“Thank you Mr. … ummmm ….”

“Call me Reggie.”

“Thank you Reggie,” the young man smiled, “I’m Timothy.”

Reggie was still holding his hand, looking intently like he was reading a map.

“You’re not a natural blonde. Fine red hairs on your skin … and freckles. Do you have lots of freckles Timothy?”

Timothy curled his fingers around Reggie’s while licking his own bottom lip. Reggie must have noticed the freckles on his bottom lip and grinned.

“I have freckles everywhere.”

“Everywhere?”

“Every – where.”

“I wouldn’t mind confirming that,” Reggie said slowly.

Adam took his hand back and relaxed into his chair. The table was small and their legs were close together. Taking advantage of their proximity, Adam slowly rubbed his foot against the older man’s calf.

“I’m game.”

Kris listened intently while Ashley kept a visual check on them. The men shared small talk for about fifteen minutes. As anyone would ask when getting to know another, Adam asked Reggie what he did for a living. Of course, the older man didn’t cop to being a smuggler and criminal; all he said was that he was in the export/import business. Timothy said that sounded interesting and gently pried but couldn’t get any more out of him. Ashley touched Kris’ arm to get his attention. O’Dowd’s two associates were back and one of them was heading to Adam’s table.

Adam looked up and around quickly when another man joined them to whisper in Reggie’s ear. Reggie listened and nodded. The other man left and Reggie got to his feet.

“I’m sorry I have to cut this short but I have business to attend to.”

Adam extended his hand, “That’s too bad. It was nice to meet you Reggie.”

Reggie clasped his hand, “I was nice to meet you Timothy.”

Reggie released his grip but Adam held on.

“Can I call you sometime?” he asked casually.

Reggie thought for a moment and replied, “No … but I’d like to call you.”

Adam smiled and when he got his hand back, he reached into his pocket and handed over his business card. Reggie took it and looked it over.

“Fairchild,” he uttered (they hadn’t gotten around to last names yet), “you certainly are.” He pocked the card.

“I’m free tomorrow,” Adam joked.

Reggie laughed, “I’m not. How about Friday?”

“Friday’s good.”

“I’ll let you know when and where.”

With nothing more, Reggie turned and left. Adam relaxed and got the server’s attention, ordering a black coffee and something to eat before he attempted to drive home. Back at the booth, Ashley was on her phone checking in with Matt. Kris looked towards Adam, willing him to look back. 

Adam felt the stare but didn’t dare look in case he was being watched. The coffee arrived and as he led the mug to his lips, he spoke loud enough for Kris to hear him: “Stop worrying … he’ll call.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Links to the two songs Adam sings:
> 
>  
> 
> A Day in the Life by the Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53Dh-I0_m5Y   
> Danny Boy (acapella) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY2bujHpxFY


	3. Enter Timmy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
> I hope it’s not too confusing jumping back and forth between Adam and Timothy. They are the same person; just remember where Reggie is concerned, it’s ‘Timothy’, otherwise it’s ‘Adam’.

The screen flickered in the dim room. This was the 42nd day they’d sat here like voyeurs watching the day to day life of Timothy Fairchild. It felt creepy, at least to Kris, watching like Big Brother. 

Matt was stuffing a slice of pizza into his mouth and Kris was dining on his fingernails. The black and white image of the bedroom was empty but soft singing could be heard. When the house had first been wired, there had been a problem with the two-way audio, leaving the team to communicate with their phones and Adam’s ear piercing. A week after Timothy had met Reggie, the problem got sorted out. They could talk to each other like they were in the same room.

Adam’s figure appeared in the bedroom camera. He’d been in the bathroom (still camera and audio free) getting ready for his date with Reggie. His hair and make-up were perfect and he’d poured himself into his leather pants. Padding around barefooted, he looked for his boots.

“They’re under the bedside table,” Matt offered through his mic.

“Thanks.” Adam walked around the bed and sat on it to slip into his boots. Getting up, he looked at himself in the wall mirror, turning this way and that to check out his reflection.

“Do the pants look tight enough? I want Reggie checking out my ass more than the concert.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Matt replied around a pepperoni, “from the reports we’ve gotten on your dates, he’s always checking you out.”

“Good.” Adam looked at his watch. “He should be here in five minutes. One thing you can say about the guy, he’s always on time.”

With that, he went into the closet and took out his shirt. Slipping it on, he did up the few buttons and started accessorizing.

“You’re having way too much fun with this,” Matt commented.

“Can’t a guy take pride in the way he looks?”

“Sure … I guess … I mean, well … never mind.”

“Don’t worry Matt, when this assignment is over, I’ll return to the drab, scruffy, boring dude you’ve come to know and love.”

“I’d appreciate that but in the meantime, you’re becoming highly entertaining.”

“Thanks.” With one final look in the mirror, Adam headed into the living room and peered out the window to see if Reggie had arrived. “Hey, Kris … are you still there?”

“What? … Oh, sorry … yeah, just thinking.”

Adam laughed and it was music to his friend’s ears.

“Well don’t think too hard,” he teased, “don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Kris laughed back but he had to force it out. Since contact had been made, Adam – sorry, Timothy – and Reggie had been out twelve times. For most of them, Kris had stayed in their secret lair, listening in. For three of them, he situated himself somewhere in the area for visual and audio surveillance. Every time Adam smiled or laughed, Kris felt a tingling in his toes. When Reggie smiled back or touched Timothy’s hand, a band tightened in Kris’ chest. These feelings were new and during the long nights when nothing happened, Kris contemplated what it all meant. He came to the conclusion that he was jealous … jealous that he didn’t get to spend time with his best friend anymore.

He missed their friendship big time. He missed going out for drinks with their colleagues after a long day … he missed hanging out together when they had joint days off … he missed bringing Adam green tea with honey and seeing his face light up … he missed just being able to call him up any time to talk. As Timothy, Kris had to keep his distance, although they could talk like they have but it’s not the same using an intercom system. At least ten times a day, Kris had a thought he wanted to share but had to keep it to himself.   
Matt was his friend too but it wasn’t the same … nothing had been the same.

“Okay boys, we’re a go … Reggie just pulled up outside.”

Adam’s voice snapped Kris out of it and he looked at the screen generated by the outdoor camera. Reggie O’Dowd’s SUV had stopped in front.

“Be careful,” Kris called out.

Adam looked up directly at the camera and grinned, “Just for you.”

The lights went off, the door locked and another date began.

 

~ xXx ~

 

Reggie looked at his watch and tapped his foot. He told Timothy what time he’d be picking him up … probably primping. Being late was annoying but he had to admit, the boy’s results were worth it.

Lowering the tinted window, he spotted the other man walking down his driveway and towards the SUV. Opening the door, Reggie froze and stared.

Timothy froze too, looking at Reggie and then down at himself.

“You don’t like it … it’s too much ….”

“No, it’s ….”

“… I can change … give me five minutes.”

The young man turned to dash off.

“Don’t change a thing.”

Concern quickly changed to happiness. Timothy climbed into the backseat and they were off. Almost immediately, he started babbling on how he couldn’t believe they were going to see U2 in concert and that they had VIP tickets and he was going to meet Bono and The Edge and how amazing their music was, etc, etc, etc.

Reggie watched and listened with amusement. There was a duality in this one that made him stand out amongst all the boys he’d dated. Timothy was intellectual, charming, and sophisticated – Timmy was funny, excitable and sexy as hell. As Timmy went on and on, Reggie’s eyes surveyed the hot sight beside him. As usual, the boy’s face was stunning, making Reggie want to lick that gloss off and nibble those lips until they were plump and rosy. The shirt he’d decided on was black and sheer. There were only three buttons, leaving an expanse of tanned, glowing skin, punctuated on either side with two pert nipples brushing against the fabric. Once Reggie was done with the lips, he wanted to latch onto those. What was really killing him were those damn pants. Reggie couldn’t keep his eyes off Timmy’s crotch, his fingers itching to see how long it would take to undo those laces to reach the prize beneath.

“Staring?”

Reggie’s eyes snapped upward, focusing on the smirk he saw.

“That’s an interesting necklace.”

“Necklace, huh?”

“Is that Egyptian?”

Timothy took hold of the pendant, resting it in his palm.

“It’s called the Eye of Horus. It’s a sign of protection.”

Reggie stiffened a little, asking tightly, “And who do you need protecting from?”

Timothy let the pendant drop heavy against his chest and laughed, “Myself? … I didn’t get it for protection, I just liked how it looked.”

The mood in the backseat lightened again and the conversation returned back to the concert.

When they arrived at the venue, the parking lot was nearly full. After getting dropped off at the entrance, the momentum staled as the men became two of thousands making their way through the lobby. Reggie noticed other concert goers watching Timothy to the point of distraction. 

He’d never considered himself the jealous type but somehow this boy brought that out in him. Reggie wasn’t one for PDA’s but he couldn’t help reaching out to brush his fingers against the others or to rest a hot hand on the boy’s thigh when they went out. As for kissing, the furthest they’d gone was a peck goodnight on the cheek. Justifying what he was about to do as just making sure Timothy and he didn’t get separated, Reggie slipped an arm around the boy’s back, his hand settling on the waistband of the leather pants. In turn, Timothy leaned into his side, bringing his own arm around the older man’s waist. When he felt fingers slipping into his back pocket, Reggie wanted to do likewise but there was no pocket so in a daring moment, he slipped his fingers under the waistband as best he could.

The concert was insane, as it always was any time Reggie was able to catch a U2 show. Saying that, he found it hard to concentrate on the music and that was all Timmy’s fault. Fist pumping, body rolls, singing along … Reggie couldn’t get enough of him. He wanted to grab those hips, direct the undulating ass against his hard on. Rivulets of sweat trickled down the exposed neck, begging to be licked off. By the time the concert ended, Reggie was wrecked.  
On the ride back to Timothy’s house, the two men sat in relative silence, both exhausted from the concert. Timothy leaned into Reggie’s side and Reggie draped an arm over the boy’s shoulder. The enclosed back seat area was perfumed with a mix of cologne, sweat, heat, and sexual tension. Turning his head, Reggie nuzzled his nose into the blond hair, inhaling deeply. As he did this, the hand hovering over the bare chest slipped under the sheer fabric and played with a nipple. Timothy hummed and pressed closer. Reggie flicked, tweaked, and tugged on the bud. Timothy turned his head, eye lids heavy and mouth torturously slack. Moving his head closer, Timmy started nibbling on the strong jaw, his hot tongue flicking the contours. Reggie had held out as long as he could but he finally gave in and surrendered.

Reluctantly letting the nipple go, Reggie placed his large hand against Timmy’s face, drawing their lips together like magnets. Their first true kiss began slowly then Timmy pushed his tongue between Reggie’s lip and everything got dirty. As if they hadn’t touched food in months, they devoured each other. Not breaking contact, Timmy maneuvered his body so he could climb up and straddle the older man’s lap. Bracing his hands upon Reggie’s shoulder, Timmy put all his body weight into that kiss, pushing his tongue deeper. His head flying in orbit, Reggie needed more, grabbing Timmy’s ass and rubbing their cocks against each other, the lacing on those leather pants pure heavenly torture. 

Reggie needed more and tried to lift the younger man’s body so he could reach the still pert nipple. Timmy’s head was against the roof of the SUV and when the wheels hit a bump, he let out a cry of pain instead of one of pleasure. Timmy tried adjusting his head as Reggie refused to stop suckling.

Another bump … another ‘ow’.

“Timmy,” Reggie uttered after reluctantly letting go.

“Hmmphff,” was the reply as he kept dry humping.

“Timmy … stop ….”

“Noooooo ….”

Another bump … a louder ‘ow’.

With considerable effort, Reggie got his hands between their chests and tried to push him off. Timmy refused, painted fingernails digging in.

“TIMMY … GET OFF!!!!”

Before the boy could react, the brakes squealed the SUV to a stop with so much force that they were torn apart. Reggie managed to use one muscular arm to brace himself and remain seated but poor Timmy went flying off, hitting the opposite passenger door and landing on the floor between the front and back seats. Both passenger doors opened and men stood there, guns out and cocked. Reggie looked down at Timmy whose face was the proverbial deer in the headlights.  
“Everything’s fine … keep going,” Reggie calmly ordered as if it were no big deal.

When the doors shut, he offered a hand to the boy on the floor and hauled him back onto the seat. Timmy started rubbing his right shoulder.

“Are you hurt?”

“’Are you hurt?’! Is that all you have to say?!” Timmy asked, his pitch and tone rising with each word. “What the fuck was that?!!!”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it,” he replied casually.

“Don’t worry about it?!!! How am I supposed to react to having guns pointed in my face?” Timmy rubbed his shoulder some more as he got himself settled at the far side of the seat. “If you didn’t want me, you just had to ask,” he added, slightly calmer.

“God Timmy, you don’t know how much I want you but this isn’t right. I’m not going to let you break your neck just to get me off.”

Timmy stayed silent, taking in what was said. Reggie kept silent too, letting the boy make the first move.

“My place,” Timothy finally said.

“We’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“No … I mean come to my place one day … let me cook dinner and then we can enjoy … dessert.”

Reggie didn’t go to his boy toys’ homes, he liked controlling everything about the situation, even if they fucked in a hotel instead of his private home. They could easily go to a hotel but there was something different, something whispering he had to take a chance. His people had already checked out Timothy Fairchild’s background and he was everything he said he was … there were no red flags … he was safe.

“Sounds like a plan.”

Timothy’s face lit up again. Staying where he was on his side of the seat, Timothy bent down and started playing with the zipper on Reggie’s jeans.

“Can I at least give you an appetizer?” he softly asked.

Reggie wanted to say no but who could refuse an offer like that. Words failed him so he just nodded. Deftly, Timothy undid the zipper, slipped his hot hand into the brief’s and released the older man’s cock, already hardening and glistening at the tip. Timmy took the base in his hand, licked the head like an ice cream cone and went down ….  
~ xXx ~

 

Timothy stood on the sidewalk and waved as Reggie’s SUV pulled away. The minute it was out of sight, Timothy said goodnight and Adam re-emerged. The smile faded away into something sour as Adam jogged up to his front door, dying for alcohol to kill the taste in his mouth.  
It came as no surprise to him when he found Kris sitting in his living room the moment he opened the door.

“What if I’d brought Reggie home with me?” he asked casually, dropping his house keys on the table by the door and heading for the mini bar.

“I would have hid under the sink. Matt gave me the all clear.” Kris’ hands were clutching the arms of the chair so hard his knuckles glowed white in the dim light. “What the hell were you thing?”

“When?” Adam asked after chugging a glass.

“Yelling at him about the guns … he could have kicked you out.”

Adam plunked down beside him.

“Don’t you think it would have been more suspicious to act as if it was no big deal? Anyone in his right mind would flip out having a gun shoved in his face.”

“You’re right.”

“I know.” 

Adam got up and stretched, wincing a little as he rotated his shoulder. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just needs some heat. Look, I’m gonna jump in the shower and get this grit off my skin. You mind hanging around? I’d really appreciate it if you could massage some muscle rub into my shoulder.”

“No problem. I’ll put the kettle on and make you a green tea.”

“What would I do without you,” Adam declared as he disappeared into his bedroom.

I hope you never find out, Kris replied to himself.


	4. Lying With the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
> I hope it’s not too confusing jumping back and forth between Adam and Timothy. They are the same person; just remember where Reggie is concerned, it’s ‘Timothy’, otherwise it’s ‘Adam’.
> 
> Sorry for the delay. Working on this between college assignments.

“You never go to this much trouble when I come over for dinner,” Kris commented, hungry eyes taking in the spread of food covering the kitchen counters.

He looked around the house, sparkling after a thorough cleaning. Every surface had been dusted, polished, and vacuumed. When Adam would invite him over to his apartment, Kris would arrive to clutter and a takeout order of pizza or Chinese. 

“That’s cause I’m not trying to get into your pants,” Adam teased, taking the dishes, glassware and utensils out of the cupboards and drawers and beginning to set the table.

Back in the day, the two men usually sat on the couch balancing paper plates on their hands.

Kris reached out and popped a hors d’oeuvre in his mouth.

“I didn’t know you could cook like this?”

“I can’t but I’m an expert at ordering in. This is just a little more fuss than I normally do.”

“No kidding.”

Adam had a variety of wine and alcohol nearby but Kris fished into the fridge for a beer. It was hard to act nonchalant when this wasn’t Adam’s home and it was harder not to think of it as a den of iniquity … 

Where the hell did that reference come from?

Once the table was set, Adam went into the bedroom to finish changing. He’d put on chocolate brown loose pants and flip flops (with freshly painted toenails) but he waited until he’d set all the food out before slipping on the very expensive and very soft pullover sweater he bought that morning, compliments of the federal government’s credit card. Adam gazed through the stylish closest and wondered how much begging he’d have to do in order to keep his dream wardrobe.

He was just about to head back into the living room when he remembered the most important things. Opening his top dresser drawer, he took out a white paper bag and headed to the bedside table. Adam removed condoms and lube from the bag and stashed them within reach.

“You’re really go through with this, aren’t you?” Kris softly asked, he voice tinged with disbelief.

Adam’s brows knitted together.

“That was the whole point, right? Seduce the bastard so I get inside his operation and find the evidence to put him away for life.”

“Right, but … it never seemed real … before.”

A darkness momentarily settled over Adam’s face.

“It’s real enough for me, especially when his tongue … or dick … is down my throat.”

Adam’s moved past Kris in the doorway and headed to the bar, suddenly needing a drink. Kris stayed where he was but turned around, his face earnest.

“It’s not too late … call it off … tell Cowell you changed your mind.”

Adam emptied his glass and poured another. He couldn’t deny that he hadn’t thought about it, especially during that first blowjob but there was too much at stake. Reggie was falling hard for Timothy – Adam could tell – and that weakness was going to be the crook’s downfall. If he pulled out now, Reggie heart might get bruised but he’d heal quickly and go back to his illegal activities. Adam would rather deal with this and succeed than save himself at the expense of countless others. 

“I haven’t changed my mind.” Adam waited for a comeback. Instead, Kris began pacing, rubbing his neck like he was trying to sever his head. “There’s too much at stake. I just have to keep remembering everyone he’s hurt or could hurt and I can go through with it.”

“The only one I’m concerned about getting hurt is you. Adam, please ….”

The look on his friend’s face broke Adam’s heart. He closed the gap and they hugged, arms like vices.

“You know I love you, right? You’re my best friend and your support means everything to me,” Adam whispered, trying not to fall apart when he needed to stay strong.

“I’ll always have your back Adam, even if I don’t like what you’re doing. I love you too.”

Kris and Adam had said those three little words to each other countless time in a bromance kinda way. This time, at least when Kris said it, there was something else there, something he couldn’t identify … or was afraid to identify.

“Time to break up the love-in” Matt’s bodiless voice announced from above, “looks like our target has arrived.”

Reluctantly Kris let go and stepped back. Adam looked like he wanted to say something, something that didn’t relate to the crook making his way to Timothy’s house, but the moment was lost.

“You better go out the back door.”

“Right.” 

Kris reached up and brushed aside the blonde hair falling over his friend’s forehead.

“How do I look?”

“Perfect.”

There was a knock and that was it. Adam headed to one door and Kris to the other.

Lingering on the porch, Kris carefully peered through the door before shutting it. Adam stood at the front door, his face serious. Kris saw his friend’s shoulders rise as he took a deep breathe. Looking down, Adam smoothed his clothes, raised his head with a smile and then Timothy let O’Dowd in.

 

~ xXx ~

 

Reggie walked up the sidewalk, swearing at himself for being nervous. He ran a syndicate that stretched the breadth of the country with fingers stretching overseas and here he was scared of being alone with a hot piece of ass. The problem was Timothy was quickly becoming more than a piece of ass and Reggie had never let a casual hook-up turn into an infatuation. 

As he self-analyzed, he knocked on the door and waited. For a moment he thought he heard two voices but decided it was just the conversation going on in his head. Nearly a minute after he knocked, he raised his fist to repeat when the door opened. His hand fell heavy to his side.

Nothing happened until Timothy cleared his throat.

“Um … everything okay?” he asked cautiously.

Reggie’s eyes slowly worked over every inch of the boy’s body. Tearing away was nearly possible.

“You look good,” the older man replied, somewhat in shock.

A smile slowly spread across Timothy’s face and he stepped aside, gesturing with his arm for his guest to enter.

“I aim to please.”

“You certainly do.”

Reggie didn’t move.

“Soooo … are you coming in or are we dining el fresco on the stoop?”

Reggie nodded and came in. Timothy went to the bar to get him an Irish whiskey while Reggie looked around. The bungalow was furnished in wood and leather and the walls were covered in framed pieces of modern art. As he took a closer look, he noticed a familiar signature in the bottom right hand corner.

“You do these?”

“Yeah, I like to frame some of the designs I’m most proud of.” Timothy handed over the whiskey, a red wine in his own, and they turned their attention to a set of hands reaching out to one another. “I did this one for the Trevor Project.”

“You’re really good.”

“Thanks! If you ever need something done for your business, I can give you a friends and family discount.”

“Am I friend or family?”

Timothy’s free hand lightly caressed the older man’s arm.

“We’ll know for sure after tonight,” he replied slowly. “Are you hungry? I’ve got munchies to hold us over. Dinner’s warming in the oven, it should be ready in twenty minutes or so.”

“I am hungry … starving actually,” Reggie replied, setting down his glass and removing Timothy’s from his hand, “but twenty minutes isn’t near enough time.” 

Taking Timothy by the arms, he pulled their bodies together hard and claimed the mouth open in surprise. The connection was deep and rough and demanding. When they came apart, both men were out of breath.

“What’s for dinner anyway?”

“Ah … there’s … um, prime rib … r-roasted potatoes and squash.”

“That stuff reheats. Shut the oven off,” Reggie demanded.

Timothy did as he was told but instead of returning to the waiting arms, he walked over to the entrance of another room and slowly stripped off his shirt, dropping it on the floor before disappearing into darkness.

Reggie stood still momentarily before stepping forward and picking up the shirt. He buried his face in it, inhaling the scent of cologne. A pair of pants landed at his feet and Reggie inhaled them as well. Though the scent of cologne was there, it was faint; the overwhelming scent was pure sex and he felt himself harden instantly. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, a dim light turned on and Timmy presented himself, laid out on the bed nearly naked, one hand under his head, the other palming himself through barely there briefs.

 

~ xXx ~

 

Reggie was looking at him like he was the prime rib in the oven and the older man hadn’t eaten in a month. For all his bravado that he was good with this, Adam was scared shitless. 

The hand appearing to casually lie under his blonde dye job was actually gripping his hair so hard he felt the strands straining in their follicles. It was by sheer concentration that he wasn’t yanking his dick from his body. This was it … the time had finally come … and he’d been the instigator, just as his undercover job demanded. He was about to successfully seduce the criminal and all the young agent wanted to do was hide under the covers. 

As Reggie stripped down, scars were reveled on his shoulder, chest, and stomach – proof that even though people tried to take the kingpin down, he refused to succumb. Could Adam really defeat this Rasputin, this Goliath with a kiss and more than a cuddle? The mattress dipped and his hand was pushed away. Without ceremony, Reggie divested Adam of his briefs, leaving him completely exposed. There was only one way Adam was doing this and he reached to the side table, grabbing the condoms and lube and setting them beside his naked hip, well within reach. Reggie acknowledged the act but wasn’t quite ready for them yet. 

One large hand fondled the boy’s balls while the other encased his dick, leaving the head exposed. A rough tongue licked his slit like a cat licking up cream. Adam felt his dick twitch, thankful to the Agency’s pharmacy for the little pills that helped him rise to the occasion; they weren’t the four hour variety but strong enough for Reggie to think Timothy was enjoying his touch. While his body reacted, Adam made sure to vocalize what Reggie would want to hear – groaning, gasps, mewling, filthy language. Moving his hand lower, the hot mouth started to take him in. At some point, Adam was sure Reggie had pushed a finger into his mouth alongside his dick for a wet digit started rubbing his puckered hole. When the quickly drying finger tried to breach him, Timothy carefully insisted on the lube. Reggie seemed to scoff at the idea but gave in. Letting everything go, the older man flipped the lid and squeezed a generous amount out. The gel was cold as it was smeared around Timmy’s hole and then Reggie picked up where he left off, mouth sucking dick and thick finger pushing in. 

Adam had only bottomed once in his life, the year he graduated high school, and though it wasn’t as horrible as it could have been, he learned that he preferred to top. He liked to be in control in all aspects of his life so why should his sex life had been any different? A second finger was inside him, stretching and probing. Adam’s mind wandered to the poor souls that fell victim to Reggie’s human trafficking endeavors. Forced labor was part of it but the majority were sold into sexual slavery. In his situation, Adam at least had some say in what he allowed Reggie to do with him; still, he wasn’t 100% willing. The notion of being raped daily multiple times, with no hope, made him sick and he had to mentally escape.

Closing his eyes tight, Adam tried to imagine it was someone else’s mouth drawing an orgasm out of him … someone else’s three fingers deep inside, stimulating his prostate and making him buck and cry out. The pressure built and built then exploded out of him.

The person in his mind was unexpected … but not unwelcomed.

 

~ xXx ~

 

Down the street, the sex scene was being diligently monitored by one agent and unsuccessfully ignored by another. At first, the audio filled the room but Kris couldn’t handle it so he nearly begged Matt to use the ear buds. Matt obliged as he watched the video feed but he still provided a play-by-play that was just as unsettling.

“Reggie’s taking his underwear off … wow, he’s big … he just told Adam to ride him … they’ve changed spots … Adam’s rolling a condom on him … slicking him up … now he’s got a hold of it … lining up … going doooowwwwnnnn … man, that’s gotta hurt, taking that monster up the ass like that … oh, Adam’s moving … he’s riding him like a broncho ….”

“Why the hell are we watching this?” Kris blurted in frustration. “I mean, it’s not like Reggie’s going to start talking about gun running while they’re … they’re ….”

“Fucking?”

“Eewww … don’t say that.”

“It’s our job.”

“To watch our coworker having sex?”

“Yeah, you heard Cowell … we have to record everything that goes on. You never know when a tidbit of valuable info could slip out … damn, our boy is good.”

Kris’s curiosity piqued but he couldn’t bring himself to look or ask.

There was silence … highly unusual where Matt was concerned … and just as Kris was about to break down and ask what was happening, the commentary returned.

“Changed positions again … Adam’s on his hands and knees … Reggie going in … he pounding him like a jackhammer ….”

Kris couldn’t take it anymore and removed himself to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he grabbed a bottle of ice cold water and held it to his face and the back of his neck. Up until now, it had only been talk, except for the blow job after the U2 concert, but that was just hearsay – literally. This time, there were visuals. Kris watched the bedroom scene play out up until the point Reggie removed Adam’s underwear. As far as Kris was concerned, that went over the line, even for their close friendship. Sure, he’s caught sight of Adam in the showers at work or at the urinal but that was different, that was … biological. He grudgingly admitted to himself a bit of curiosity had been there too, you know, wondering who’s bigger.

Three guesses and the first two don’t count.

Lately, Kris had been feeling different … feeling off. He wanted to blame it on having to put their public friendship on hold but that excuse was wearing thin. He wasn’t willing to admit how this separation was hurting him mentally and physically. Matt occasionally hinted at something but that was just how Matt was.

If there was something to know about himself, Kris would know about it right?

“Ah, Kris? Hey man, can you come here?”

“Are they finished yet?” he yelled back.

“Sorta … but you need to take over.”

Matt’s voice sounded strained … pained even … so Kris cracked open the now room temperature water, took a long swig, and went back. Matt was bending forward and chewing on his bottom lip. The moment Kris entered the surveillance room, Matt leapt up from his seat and bolted for the bathroom.

Matt was a fast runner but not fast enough to hide from Kris the significant bulge tenting out his pants.

Kris stood there with his mouth open like a fish, both repulsed and highly amused.

The sudden silence snapped him out of it. Unplugging the ear buds, he sat in front of the screen and braced himself. 

 

~ xXx ~

 

Both men laid in bed, side by side, breathing heavily. Adam felt gross and not just from the sweat soaking his hair and casting a sheen over his body. He could feel the wetness between his ass cheeks, the pulsing of the muscles in his anus, stretched and sore. He wanted to get up and jump under a hot shower but his muscles refused to let him move. Normally, Adam loved the blissed out exhaustion he felt after a round of mind blowing sex but this was a totally different kind of exhaustion. The best he could do was feel around his hips for a sheet or blanket and cover himself up.

“Got shy all of a sudden?” Reggie asked softly, sounding as tired.

“Chilly,” he replied.

Reggie rolled onto his side and pulled Timmy up against him. The sheet came too and the young man adjusted it so it covered both of them.

“You blew my mind, you know that?” Reggie asked, one of his hands slipping under the sheet and fondling the flaccid cock gently. When it twitched, he laughed deeply. “If I were younger, I’d take your friend up on its invitation but you wore me out.”

“Likewise.”

“Thank you.”

Reggie buried his nose in Timmy’s hair, breathing deeply. Under the sheets, his hand slid lower until his fingers reaching the gaping hole. Adam couldn’t hold back a gasp as his sensitive flesh was rimmed. He tried to move but couldn’t, trapped under the much bigger arm.

“Don’t worry boy, just checking out my work. God, I’m starvin’. Any chance we can reheat that dinner of ours?”

“Anything you want,” Adam replied seductively, staying in character.

“I want a shower. Care to join me?”

“So tempting but you shower first. I’ll turn the oven on and see if I can’t save the tossed salad.”

Reggie got up and headed for the bathroom, “Don’t worry about the rabbit food. I like meat.”

Adam laughed until Reggie was out of earshot and then he released a long sigh, thankful the sex portion of the date seemed to be over. Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bed, wincing as his ass protested. He ran his hands through his hair then dried them on the sheet. Looking up, his eyes fell on the concealed camera and realization struck him that his friends … Kris … had seen and heard the entire escapade. Heat burned his face but he had to hold it together. 

Sitting up straighter, he looked directly into the camera and saluted, “Hope you boys enjoyed the show.”

“Did you say something?” Reggie called out from the shower.

Adam stood up and retrieved his robe.

“I just said don’t use up all the hot water.”

An hour later, both men had showered and dressed (Adam had on baggy sleep pants and a robe since his butt still hurt) and sat down for a reheated dinner. The salad was a lost cause so Adam threw together another salad for himself while Reggie dove into the prime rib and potatoes. They didn’t say much although every so often, Reggie cast a glance his way and smirked.

Adam knew what that was all about since Reggie had seen him put a pillow on his chair before sitting gingerly down.

“I’m going to feel you for days,” Timmy playfully complained.

“Is that a problem?”

“No … just an observation.”

A foot made its way up and down Timmy’s bare leg.

“Soooooo, you like it rough?”

Adam knew what he wanted to say but he said what Reggie wanted to hear.

“I’m not into full BDSM but I’m game for a bit of experimenting.”

A full smile lit up the older man’s face and Adam cursed himself.

“I’ll keep that in mind. I have a few … toys … I think you might like.”

Reggie’s attention returned to the food and Adam lost his appetite. From reading the agency’s personal file on O’Dowd, he knew the older man had such leanings and that at some point he was going to be subjected to them. Kris was already giving him a hard enough time about letting Reggie touch him; this new revelation could make his friend’s pretty little head explode.

When dinner was over, Adam brought out the Bailey’s Irish Cream macaroons he’d found in a nearby bakery. Reggie loved them washed them down with coffee.

“I’m going to San Francisco next weekend,” Reggie blurted out between bites.

“Oh! So then, I guess I won’t see you til next week?”

Thank Ra.

“Actually, I was hoping you could come with me … that is if you’re free. I have a business meeting but we could check out the city and a few clubs I’ve heard about.”

Timmy blurted out he’d love to go. Reggie was left with the impression that he’d have his boy toy at this beck and call while Adam was thrilled that this invitation proved he’d worked his way in the inner sanctum. Now it was only a matter of time before he’d gain access to the information the government needed to take Reggie O’Dowd down.

 

~ xXx ~

 

“He did it!” Matt cheered, “We’re in!”

Kris squeezed the empty water bottle until it cracked.

Matt was thrilled and Kris should have been too. For nearly a decade, the agency was trying to infiltrate O’Dowd’s crime family and it had finally happened. No matter what Kris thought about this, it was working. As far as he was concerned, as soon as Adam could bring the kingpin down, the better. Adam didn’t need to hear his friend’s concerns (as genuine as they were), he needed his support and that was what Kris vowed to do from now on.

Immediately, Matt got on the phone and contacted the Director. Arrangements needed to be made, even before they knew the exact date, times and locations. Kris kept his eyes and ears on the monitors. Reggie was at the front door, getting ready to leave. Reggie told Timothy that he’d call him in the morning with the details and took the robe clad man in his arms and kissed him. Timothy’s arms snaked around the older man’s back, pressing their bodies together. There was a low rumble and Kris saw the outline of a hand under the robe settling over his friend’s ass and caressing it. Timothy said he couldn’t wait for another night like this and Reggie promised this wouldn’t be the last.

Kris really hoped Adam knew what he was doing. When you lie with the devil, eventually you get burned.


	5. Frisco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
> NOTE: Sorry I took so long to update. Don’t go back to work until September. Still wrapped up in college but more free time has opened up – if I can pull myself away from Queen and Adam videos LOL.

“Will you stop it!”

“But ….”

“No buts! We didn’t have a choice so just suck it up, haul your ass and gear in here and let’s get in and out of their suite before they arrive.”

Kris opened his mouth to protest … yet again … but decided to take Matt’s advice and ‘suck it up’. He’d been surprised when Adam announced that Reggie hadn’t booked a commercial flight; rather, he had rented a private jet. Director Cowell didn’t seemed phased at all. In fact, he already had the tech department arranging some special surveillance equipment for Adam to use himself, beyond the wired bar piercing.

Once they had a take-off time for O’Dowd’s flight, the Agency quickly got Kris and Matt two tickets in coach to San Francisco. Matt grumbled about why the government – which had way more money than O’Dowd – couldn’t send them by private jet too. Kris agreed but wasn’t about to say so out loud. If all went well, they’d arrive with plenty of time to bug Reggie and Timothy’s suite before they arrived.

The two agents may have flown coach but their room in the City by the Bay was first class, thanks to Reggie. The man had booked his gaggle into the Ritz-Carlton, a landmark in the city since 1909. It was pure luxury but Kris and Matt had little time to enjoy it, especially the gorgeous Steinway Grand Piano in their room. O’Dowd had had the audacity to book the Presidential Suite; it was similar to the suite the two men had, just a bit bigger. Kris and Matt had both memorized a blueprint before leaving their LA office but blueprints don’t include every stitch of furniture and likely places to hide bugs. 

Picking up his backpack, Kris dropped it on his choice of bed (by the window) and dared to touch the zipper.

“Forget the plaid,” Matt declared, “we’ve got to get to work.”

There were a lot of reasons to be on the same floor. There would be crystal clear reception from the planted microphones; they could keep an eye on those coming and going through the peep hole in the door (attached to a high tech eye); and, if the shit hit the fan, they’d be down the hall and could come to Adam’s aid.

Being a historical and world-renown hotel, it wasn’t surprising the government had connections that proved invaluable. When they picked up their room keys, a master key to every door in the hotel came in the envelope. 

Once in the Presidential Suite, both agents got about their jobs. Matt tackled the huge living room and Kris started with the dining room. It didn’t take him long and since Matt was still working on the largest space, Kris passed by and found himself in the master bedroom.

The only difference between the room he and Matt were sleeping in and this one was the absence of a second mattress. He should have been bugging the room but Kris couldn’t stop staring at the king-sized bed and superimposing onto it what happened in Timothy’s bed the night Reggie invited his new lover to San Francisco – Adam stretched out on the bed in his briefs, palming himself … Adam getting sucked …Adam riding cock … Adam being pounded like a jack hammer’ (to quote Matt). 

With each image, Kris’ blunt fingernails dug deeper into his palms.

“Wake up! Seriously dude, am I gonna have to send you back to LA?”

Matt didn’t give him time to reply, he just snatched the case out of Kris’ hand and moved on at lightning speed.

“Bug the bathrooms.”

Kris found the waterproof bugs and headed in. He caught his reflection in the mirror – face red, beads of sweat around his temples. 

What the fuck was wrong with him? He’d never spaced out like this before, never let himself get distracted from his work. Distractions could get him or someone else killed. It could get Adam killed. 

Maybe Matt should send him back. Kris was officially in charge but right now he was acting like a newbie on his first assignment and it was embarrassing. 

“Done?”

“Give me a sec.”

Quickly, he stepped into the shower stall and planted a bug behind the shower head. When he came out, Matt was smiling.

“Look Matt, I’m sorry.”

“Forget it,” his friend lightly replied.

“No, I can’t … and you shouldn’t. I give you the authority to pull me off this assignment if I screw up.”

“No thanks pal. I like being a lemming, not a leader.”

“Well, I’m not much of a leader.”

“You’re one hell of a leader, don’t sell yourself short … well, shorter than usual.”

Kris laughed and relaxed. Matt beamed and grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the suite and down the hall to theirs. Kris made a call and learned O’Dowd’s plane just landed but they’d still be at the airport for a while. They finished setting up their equipment and then sat around and waited. Matt gave into the temptation and took up residence at the piano. As a well-known tune by Tony Bennett filled the room, Kris perused the room service menu and ordered up an early dinner. Since the Agency was flipping the bill, he ordered them both steak and lobster. When that was done, he wandered to the picture window and looked down on the city.

With nothing to do, Kris’ mind went back to the king-sized bed. He couldn’t help himself and he grabbed his cell, ordering a roll-away bed to be delivered to the Presidential Suite and set up in the master bedroom within half an hour.

 

xXx

Adam leaned against a wooden crate, his shoulder bag held tight to his chest. His eyes darted around, he constantly licked his lips, and his body shook a little. He looked scared to death – exactly what he wanted to look like. On the outside he appeared to be a mess; on the inside, he was cool as a cucumber.

The flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco took just over 90 minutes. So far, they’d spent just as long sitting on the tarmac while the private jet got turned inside out and upside down. Adam was expecting this; Cowell told him that when the plane landed, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol + the TSA and a local SWAT team would be waiting for them. If there were suspicions of contraband or other illegal activities, it was common for the law to search aircraft. With O’Dowd’s reputation, this happened a lot. He was cooperative – which is how you should be – but under the surface, pulsing through the veins visible in his neck, Adam could tell Reggie was fuming.

Asshole.

Reggie had brought a whole contingent of colleagues with him, eight in total. Adam was the only ‘significant other’ on the trip. Some of the men gave him the evil eye, some watched him with curiosity and others ignored him completely. That was fine with him; the only person whose attention he need, or wanted, was O’Dowd’s.

There wasn’t much of that attention on the flight and fortunately, it worked to Adam’s advantage. Since Kris and Matt had to be on a commercial flight, Cowell hooked Adam up with extra surveillance equipment - ‘It’s so obviously visible that it’s invisible’, whatever the hell his boss meant by that. In layman’s terms, if Reggie knew it was there, it would be obvious. But he didn’t know it was there, so he didn’t guard himself and Adam recorded unhindered.

Feigning disinterest, once aboard Timothy pulled out this Dr. Dre-style headphones and told Reggie flying made him nervous and music relaxed him. He apologized for being anti-social and Reggie waved it off, saying he had business to discuss anyway. The older man actually seemed relieved his Timmy Boy wouldn’t be overhearing his conversation. In reality, that’s exactly what his boy was doing. Adam preferred earbuds but it was near impossible to effectively conceal a video recording device and a microphone in earbuds. Plugging the headphones into his iPhone, Timothy encased his ears and shut his eyes, relaxing into the plush seat. The moment ‘play’ was pressed, surveillance began. In the background, Adam heard his music but in the forefront, he eavesdropped on the conversation, a gentle click every 15 seconds signaling him that pictures were being taken.

As far as Reggie was concerned, nothing was amiss.

“Sir, will you step this way please.”

Adam turned to see a uniformed officer addressing him. While the plane was being inspected, so were all the passengers. He’d been through this before … on the other side of law. As detectives, both Adam and Kris had been part of these kind of crackdowns. He knew what to expect and what was expected of him.

Slipping into his Timothy mask, he looked frantically for Reggie and hurried to him, the officer left behind, not amused.

“Reggie, they want to search me!”

The older man was busy answering questions from another officer and didn’t appear to have any patience left.

“Just do it so we can leave,” he ordered flatly.

“But I haven’t done anything!” Timothy shouted, his shoulder bag tight in his grip.

“Neither have I!” Reggie shouted back, more to the officer still questioning him.. He rubbed his eyes and lowered his voice. “Timmy, just do what they want. I’ll … I’ll make it up to you later.”

Timothy’s own personal escort caught up with him and proceeded to lead him, by the upper arm, to a large van being used for the strip searches. The scared young man went in where two other officers were waiting, one standing in front of a table and the other slipping on a rubber glove.

“Bag.”

Adam’s demeanor calmed and he handed the bag over. As that officer went through the contents, the other concentrated on him.

“Remove your shoes.”

Adam lifted his legs and tugged each boot off.

“Remove your jacket.”

He took of his blue leather jacket.

“Remove your belt.”

The studded belt hit the ground.

“Untuck your shirt.”

Adam tugged at the ends of his blue leopard print shirt until it came loose of his snug jeans.

Beyond this point, the personal body search stopped.

Adam watched the officer going through his bag take out items until he came upon the headphones. Reaching into a small black pouch on his utility belt, he removed a small metal instrument and inserted it into a slit on the side of each earpiece. The unit popped opened and he removed an information chip. Closing and locking that side, he opened the other side and removed another chip. Once he was finished, he put the headphones and other belongings back in the bag. Adam slipped his boots and belt back on, leaving his shirt out and his jacket bunched up in his hand.

“We’re all done here Agent Lambert,” the officer declared, handing back the bag. “Be careful.”

Adam nodded, grabbed his bag and left. The chaos that had surrounded the plane has vanished in the meantime and Reggie was leaning against his rented car, arms crossed and a satisfied smirk on his face. Adam tucked his shirt in as he approached the other man, playing up the strip search scenario that didn’t really happen.

“What happened? Where is everybody?” he asked dully. 

“They didn’t find anything so we’re good to go.”

“Was there anything to find?”

Reggie just shrugged and opened the back car door. Timothy slipped in and Reggie followed. The moment the door clicked, the engine started and they headed downtown.

A large hot hand settled on Timothy’s thigh.

“I hope they weren’t too rough with you.”

“No … it was just embarrassing.”

The hand moved up his thigh and cupped his crotch, squeezing.

“I’ll make it up to you when we reach our bed.”

Timothy nodded, a small smile on his face as he rubbed the shell of his ear.

xXx

“Adam’s turned his piercing on … they’re on the way.”

“What does the GPS say?”

Kris looked moving dot on the city grid. “They’re about twenty minutes away, depending on traffic.”

“Good. I just got off the phone with the local bureau. They got the recordings from Adam’s headphones and are sending the information to the Director.”

“What about our copy?”

“They sent it; it’s on the computer.”

“Good.”

Matt set up to review the recordings from the plane and Kris went back to listening to the transmission from the ear piercing. The two men in the car were quiet. Every so often, Adam’s voice softly sounded, mostly pointing out tourist sights, asking if they could go there for dinner or there for a walk. Reggie didn’t commit, reminding Timothy they were here for work, but he did promise they’d see some of the city before they headed back to LA in two days.

“They’ve reached the hotel.”

Matt left the laptop and double checked the electronic eye attached to the peep hole and the super thin, super strong microphone slipped just under their door. These two apparatus would visually and audibly pick up the presence of people in the hallway. Anyone around Adam would be picked up audibly but they wanted to keep tabs on those coming and going to the Presidential Suite. 

Ten minutes later, the elevator door opened. A bellhop pushing a luggage cart appeared first, followed by Reggie and then Adam. The trio headed to the opposite end of the hallway and disappeared through a door. Over the piercing, Kris heard the bellhop describe the amenities, finishing with the usual words that would hopefully solicit a generous tip. Reggie didn’t bite but Adam did, thanking the young woman.

The door slammed shut and Reggie let loose with a torrent of profanity that could strip the paint off the walls. Listening to this rage against the machine made Kris’ hair stand on end and he couldn’t help but worry for Adam. He knew the crime boss wasn’t angry at his ‘boy’ but who was to say he wouldn’t try to release that rage on him. Adam’s voice broke in, soothing the anger away and calming the situation. Kris knew was coming but he just had to wait … and there it was – ‘Who the fuck ordered that bed?!’ He laughed and removed the headphones, tossing them on the table; the computer could eavesdrop for the next ten minutes.

“Getting too hot for ya?” Matt asked with a smirk.

“Reggie is,” – insert quotation fingers – “’making it up to him’. So, what did Adam’s surveillance from the flight reveal?”

“There’s going to me a meeting tomorrow night, in Reggie’s suite. Sounds like a big to-do with Jake Donovan.”

“Donovan … why does that name sound familiar? Oh, wait, isn’t he that asshole who imported that shipment of firearms from Colombia which ended up on the streets back home and killed that kid in a drive-by?”

“The one and the same. We arrested one of his guys who was going to turn State’s evidence ….”

“… and then he got gunned down on the steps of the county courthouse along with his lawyer and guards.”

“Never did catch the shooter.”

“Made a laughing stock of the LAPD.”

“Didn’t do much for the Agency’s reputation either.”

“So Donovan and O’Dowd are looking to do business together.”

“This is huge.”

“Yay, huge,” Kris repeated, rubbing the back of his neck, “and Adam’s going to be in the middle of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Presidential Suite looks like this but bigger, Ritz-Carlton, http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/SanFrancisco/Rooms/Suites/The-Ritz-Carlton-Suite.htm?tab=video


	6. Switch Hitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
> Sorry it took so long friends. Finished with college for three weeks, finally go this chapter update done. It’s longer than usual for me and I hope it’s worth the wait.

Adam awoke with a killer pain. He was on his stomach and used his hips and legs to flip over. When he landed on his back, the pain in his butt joined the pain between his shoulders. Last night Reggie had definitely ‘made it up’ to him … again and again. 

Really once was enough. 

In truth it wasn’t necessary at all.

Once O’Dowd is finally in custody, Adam will NEVER bottom again.

Oooowwww.

The sheets on the other side of bed were flipped back and the mattress was stone cold. Slowly he pushed himself into a sitting position, tilting a bit to the right for comfort. Adam rubbed his wrists, looking down at the faint red marks and then over at the satin straps still attached to the headboard. Adam thought back to the conversation he’d had with Reggie after they had sex the first time in Timothy’s bed. Adam had made some comment about feeling Reggie for weeks and Reggie asked him if he liked it a little rough. Timothy had replied something to the effect that he did but not too rough. Well, since then their encounters had usually involved some light S&M. Timothy might put up with it but it turned Adam’s stomach.

He would have loved nothing more than to stay in bed for another hour or so; unfortunately, he had a job too. Besides, if Reggie came back and found Timothy still in bed, the older man might want to ‘make it up’ to his boy again.

Timothy and Reggie had been seeing each other for almost two months now. Every time they got together it was either at Timothy’s place or a hotel or someplace private. Reggie had kept his private life private and his business life even more private. 

That was all about to change.

Tonight, Adam/Timothy was going to be in the middle of the hibernaculum, surrounded by sleeping vipers. He’ll have to tread very carefully, gather the information he’s looking for and pray he survives without getting bitten. Adam heard Reggie’s perturbed voice coming from the living room. Throwing on a robe, he padded to the French doors. White opaque curtains provided some privacy and Adam hooked the side of the fabric with his finger and pulled it aside just enough to get a clear view. Reggie was at the desk on the phone, writing something down. It probably had to do with the gathering tonight. He knew Kris and Matt had bugged the line and would be gathering the data so Adam took advantage of the little ‘me’ time he had and headed for the shower.

 

xXx

 

Kris closed his eyes and took a long, deep breathe. The air was clean and crisp and the sun wrapped him gently in its warm rays. There were no assignments or barking bosses or joking co-workers. LA was a thousand miles away and so were his troubles. There was a little splash of water, the boat gently swayed, and the most beautiful laugh in the world broke nature’s spell.

“Damn fish stole my bait!”

Turning his head, Kris smiled and looked at Adam. There was nobody in the world but the two of them – and the fish that stole Adam’s bait. Setting down his fishing pole carefully, Kris reached over and took Adam’s with one hand while collecting a worm with the other.

“Remind me again why I’m here,” Adam asked squeamishly, averting his eyes from the worm’s execution.

“Because we both work too hard … and we haven’t spent much time together lately.”

“I know … and I’m sorry about that.” Adam was silent, taking his turn to look around the still lake and the border of trees surrounding it. “I’ve missed you, you know.”

Kris had gotten the hook ready and looked up, catching the sun make Adam’s ebony hair glow. It wouldn’t be long enough if he never saw that blonde hair again. 

“I’ve missed you too. I …,” he was going to say something else but the words wouldn’t come, “…I’ve fixed your line. Try again.”

Begrudgingly, Adam took the fishing pole and cast his line. 

“I hear there’s a good restaurant in town that serves a killer fish,” he casually shared.

Adam wasn’t fooling anyone and Kris almost gave in.

“Let’s try one more hour. If we don’t catch anything, we don’t catch anything, that’s fine. Then we can hit up that restaurant.”

“If it doesn’t matter if we catch anything or not, then why are we here?”

Kris tried to look Adam in the eye but he couldn’t. The lake was calm but a hurricane was brewing in his gut. So, so much inside … needing to be said … but trapped in the maelstrom.

“Because it’s fun,” was what came out.

Adam laughed again, “If you say so.”

They fell into a comfortable silence again where words weren’t necessary.

There was another splash.

Kris couldn’t help laughing, “Lost your bait again. Next time I’ll bring hot glue to hold it on.”

There was no answer. Maybe Adam had finally had it with fishing. Kris turned to tease and help but found the other seat empty. His friend’s fishing pole laid on the bottom of the row boat while the last few ripples on the lake drifted away.

“Adam?!” Kris was on his feet, the boat rocking worse than an earthquake. “ADAAAAMMM!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

Kris nearly fell out of his bed, waking with such a start. He bolted upright, his skin wet with sweat as if he himself had fallen into the lake.

The lake was a dream … thank fuck … but Adam still wasn’t safe.

Rubbing his face, he squinted at the sun streaming through the window. Yesterday had been long and stressful – flying to San Francisco, rushing to the hotel, bugging Reggie and Adam’s suite, the stress of worry, and listening in on another private, uncomfortable roll in the hay. For whatever reason, Matt seemed to get a kick out of eavesdropping on that sort of thing so Kris left him to it while Kris read through the transcripts from the recordings Adam had taken. The conversation on the plane had been all business. Apparently, this meeting in San Fran was very important … so important in fact that O’Dowd moved his entire operation from Boston to the West Coast so he could take an active role in this deal. It involved the illegal import and export of contraband and this ‘meeting’ was to finalize everything. Within 24 hours, some of the most dangerous criminals in the Bay area would be in that suite down the hall and if it was successful, a good chunk of the world was going to be in deep shit.

During his musings, Kris had wandered into the dining room where a cold pizza and fruit was waiting for breakfast. Matt was sitting at one end, eyes glued to the laptop screen. Grabbing an apple, Kris took a seat beside his partner, taking a look at the words popping up. The bugs were connected to a program that translated the audio into script as soon as the words were uttered. Obviously a lot of talking was going on.

Without a word, Matt reached across the keyboard and returned with a head set, handing it to Kris.

“Good timing … Adam just woke up.”

So obviously, the convo Matt was following didn’t involve ‘Timothy’. Putting on the headset, he listened to Adam mumbling to himself and smiled. Kris could picture exactly how Adam would look, hair all mussed, eyelids heavy, a little stubbly. There had been many operations they were on where they slept together – in a non- sexual, had-to-sleep-cause-they-were-tired-so-took-turns kinda way. Even half-awake Adam looked more put together than Kris did even when he tried. The rush of water filled the earpiece, followed by a groan and expletives on how good the water felt.

“Morning,” Adam’s voice gurgled. “Hope you had a good flight yesterday. Wish I’d been with you.”

So do I buddy, so do I.

“Lotta shit goin’ down tonight. Hope you’re ready.”

Hope you’re ready.

There was a squishy sound, probably shower gel or shampoo being lathered, followed by a musical interlude to start the morning:

“She keeps Moët et Chandon, In her pretty cabinet ….”

Flashback almost fifteen years earlier and one week after starting at the police academy. The weekend finally came and the recruits could relax a little. It was all overwhelming but Kris knew in the end it would all be worth it. A group of eight wannabe police officers made their way to a local bar. They had a curfew so they had make their free time count. Kris hadn’t had much time to talk to anyone and then he found himself sitting alone in a booth with Adam Lambert. They’d nodded at each other in class and the hallway but hadn’t had a chance to really talk yet. Kris knew nothing about him but the moment they locked eyes and Adam smiled, Kris knew he just had to have Adam in his life. The nerves eased after the first beer and they started talking and discovered a mutual love for music. Coincidently, Fat Bottom Girls came on the jukebox and both men applauded. Kris loved Queen, especially their more rock, guitar driven songs like FBG and Tie Your Mother Down. To Kris, Brian May was thee Guitar God. Adam loved Queen too but his Rock God was Freddie Mercury, favoring the more operatic and campy songs like Bohemian Rhapsody and Killer Queen. They spent the rest of the night at the bar talking Queen and had never stopped … talking that is.

Until now.

Matt grabbed Kris by the shoulders, making his partner jump. Matt was up and stretching, the headphones out of the computer so Kris could hear O’Dowd ordering room service. In his own headphones, the shower had stopped and Adam was presumably drying off and dressing. The monologue had stopped so Reggie was probably within ear shot.

“Anything good?” Matt teased.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Kris cryptically replied.

“I would but knowing you and your … hang-ups, I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing.”

 

xXx

 

Adam toweled off and got into some comfortable clothes. Slipping into his shirt, it peered through the bedrooms doors and spotted Reggie off the phone and reading the paper. Beside him was a room service cart topped with a silver dome. Good, he was starving. Quickly, Adam finished up, took a moment to tune Timothy in and activate his bar piercing, and then made his entrance.

“Wonderful!” he exclaimed, heading straight for the dome and lifted it, finding fresh fruit and an omelet. Popping a cube of melon into his mouth, he kissed Reggie on the head. “Hey, I was thinking,” he continued, sitting at the table and carving up his eggs, “after we check out the Fisherman’s Warf, let’s walk through The Castro. I heard about this art gallery that ….”

“Plans changed, we’re staying in.”

The omelet almost made it to his lips but hung limp.

“What do you mean we’re staying in,” Timothy asked, hurt tinging his words. “You said we could check out the city!”

“I know I did but plans changed.”

“You already said that. What changed?”

“There’s some big soccer game being broadcast from Belfast he wants to see and he was going to postpone until I told him about the big ass TV we got. I invited him and his associates over to watch the game and then we discuss business. They’ll be here at two.”

Timothy looked at his watch. “It’s just 9:30, can’t we fit in the Wharf?”

“No time. I have a meeting in ten minutes.”

It was then Timothy noticed the half dozen mustard yellow carafes on the dining room table and boxes of donuts. Suddenly, he lost his appetite.

“Might as well have stayed home and got some work done,” the young man muttered, dropping his fork on the plate and slouching in his chair.

Reggie opened his mouth to say something but a knock on the door broke the building argument’s momentum. He let in his men who descended on the coffee and donuts like a bunch of cops on a break. Timmy stayed where he was, sulking. He felt for the kid but business was business. 

Suddenly his boy was standing in front of him.

“I’m obviously in the way so I’ll just go sightseeing on my own.”

“No.”

“No?” Timmy’s pitch rose but he kept the volume low. “I’m not some child you tell what to do. If you can’t go with me, I’m going on my own.”

Reggie grabbed the other man’s upper arm and hauled him into the bedroom, closing the door behind him before letting go. Timmy rubbed his arm, looking more hurt and really annoyed.

“What the fuck Reggie!”

“Don’t talk to me like that in front of my associates!”

“Then don’t act like a possessive asshole!”

Adam didn’t plan on their relationship taking this path and he was sure Kris was shitting bricks at this point. He had to turn this around … pronto. Pushing Adam’s rage aside, Timothy smiled and approached his lover carefully, a hand gently touching his arm.

“I’m sorry … I … I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have but I … understand. I promised you a weekend away and it’s turning into anything but. I didn’t want you along just to sit in the corner and look pretty.” Reggie rubbed Timmy’s aching arm. “This was uncalled for, I’m just stressed. This deal is huge and nothing can derail it.”

“I don’t want to derail your business.”

“I know. Look,” he drew Timmy into his arms and kissed his forehead. “Let’s get today over with. I need to concentrate, get this deal sealed. Can you just ….”

“Stay out of the way?”

“Yeah, that.”

“So why can’t I go out alone.” Timmy rubbed up against him. “I’m not looking for a hook up to kill time. You can trust me.”

“I trust you … it’s every other guy out there I don’t trust.”

Oh Reggie, if you only knew.

Timmy smiled and kissed him slow and deep.

“I’ll just stay in here and watch porn.”

Reggie laughed for the first time in days and squeezed his boy’s ass.

“Get some pointers. I’ll send in some donuts for you.”

“Thanks but I’ll just grab my room service tray and eat in here.”

When they entered the living room, Reggie’s crew was sitting and waiting for the boss. Timothy didn’t give them the time of day, getting his stuff and disappearing into the bedroom behind closed doors.

Adam sat on the bed and chewed a strawberry, sending out a message to his team.

“Hope you guys are picking up on the living room – I’ve been shut out.”

 

xXx

 

“That’s thirteen people.”

“Unlucky.”

“Let’s hope for the right people.”

Kris was monitoring the goings-on in the suite and Matt was watching the activity going on between the elevator and the door. The game was about to start in half an hour, stacks of extra chairs, trays of food and cases of alcohol had been already been delivered. 

Gleaned from the morning phone call, this was it … sink or swim … get it all or give up. More so than Adam, Matt and Kris understood the bonding that happens over sports and if O’Dowd sided with the right team and showed Donovan they were cut from the same cloth, it would go a long way to securing this dangerous deal. If the situation wasn’t so dire, Kris knew it would be pretty funny watching Adam being forced to watch sports. He remembered his friend telling him that when he was a kid, his dad coached a soccer team and he was signed up. The problem was Adam was more interested in picking buttercups from the grass than keeping up with the game. Eber was a good sport about his son being anti-sport.

“That’s interesting.”

Kris diverted his attention to the screen showing the hallway. A group of ‘guests’ had entered but one of them … a big one … had remained outside the door. He had a bouncer physique and stood stock still, arms crossed and a menacing look on his face. The bulge of a gun could be seen under his jacket pocket.

“Guard.”

“Not surprising with the crème de la crème of San Francisco crime in there. The SFPD could pick them all up in one sweep.”

“Not until we get what we need, then they can have the lot. Hold on, I’m picking up a woman’s voice. Did you see any women come in?”

“I saw just one. Why?”

“I don’t know, I just find it strange. That list of criminals on the Agency’s watch list doesn’t list any women.”

“Guess some poor dude in there had to bring his girl along. I hate when that happens.”

“I bet that dude’s hating it too.”

 

xXx

 

The cheers were so loud they rattled the windows as one of the teams scored, the right team presumably. As the suite had filled up, Adam commandeered a comfortable chair and dragged it to the back of the room. He didn’t care about a great view of the game; he’d rather watch the players in the room. O’Dowd’s company began with trickles then the bulk of them showed up with Jake Donovan in the middle. He was Reggie’s age, late 40s, and imposing. Though slightly shorter than Adam, he had an aura around him that made him seem bigger than life. Donovan’s crew looked around the suite, thoroughly, and thankfully didn’t find Matt or Kris’ surveillance equipment. The two kingpins made introductions with their crews, leaving two people out – Timothy and the bored looking woman standing by the door. She arrived in the second wave and Adam hadn’t seen anyone speak to her since. Adam wanted to approach her but thought better of it, waiting for a formal introduction, if it ever came. Not a wise idea to rock the boat.

Once the game started, the unnamed woman made her way over to Adam. She appeared just as bored as he was but she’d taken to the bottle to keep herself busy. She found an uncomfortable folding chair and sat miserably, legs crossed, feet tapping and a large glass of red wine in her right hand – her left hand was trying to keep her upright on the seat.

Ever the gentleman, Adam couldn’t leave her like that.

“Excuse me miss, take my seat. It’s much more comfortable.”

Bracing his arms on the armrests, he was just about to get up when he landed back on his butt with an oomph. She took him up on the offer very quickly … so quickly she didn’t let him vacate the chair before she sat in it. She looked petite but she was heavy enough to trap him. The aroma of alcohol was all around her, especially on her breath and hazing around her brown eyes.

“Let me just …,” Adam tried to get up and out from under her but she wouldn’t budge. She draped her free arm around his shoulders and neck and wiggled her ass to get comfy. A surprised grin animated her sullen drunken face as she ground down on his crotch.

“No need hon … just fine,” she purred, fingers now running thru his blond hair. “What’s your name honey?”

“Timothy.”

“No you’re not … you’re gorgeous,” she giggled. “I’m Nora.”

“Hi Nora, nice to meet you.”

She ground down again, “Not as happy as I am to meet you.”

A cheer rose up from the men and Nora groaned, flipping her head to get long brown hair out of her face before she emptied her wine glass.

“If you don’t mind my asking … if you’re not a soccer fan why are you here?”

She tried to focus on Adam’s face and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you into it?”

Adam laughed low, “Can’t say I am.”

“So you’re just here for the business chat?”

“Actually, I’m not here for that either.”

“So why the fuck are you here then?” she demanded, her voice raising.

A couple of heads near the back of the pack turned to look at the odd couple but something happening center field took their attention back.

“I’m here with my boyfriend,” he replied casually.

“Bully for you. I’m here with my husband.” She brought her glass to her lips and pouted when one drop was all she found. “It’s our anniversary.”

“Congratulations.”

“Save it. He’s more interested in hanging with the boys than with me.” She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. “Guess you know more about that than I do … hanging with boys.”   
Adam gave up trying to jostle her from his lap. He was actually starting to feel sorry for her. “When I found out this was going on tonight, I refused to let him get away with it … again. Every time something special to me comes up, he has plans for something else.” Sorrow was quickly sobering her up. “Well, I refused to let him get away with it this time. I insisted I come with him or else.”

“Well, you’re here,” he commented sympathetically.

“You wouldn’t know it, the way he’s acting.” Her eyes softened as she gazed at him. “Where’s your man?” She trailed a finger around his collar. “Why as he left you alone?”

“Business. I came to San Francisco with him for a little vacation but I haven’t seen anything of the city except the airport, the drive to the hotel, and the view from our rooms.”

“I hate business.” She looked like she wanted to get up but changed her mind. “He thinks I don’t know anything about it but I do. I know all his secrets … I know what he wants. There’s this deal he’s trying to make with this O’Dowd guy ….”

Shit, she’s Donovan’s wife!

“… gonna make millions but will I see any?! No! I have to beg for every dollar I get from that BASTARD!”  
More heads were turning. He couldn’t risk this deal going sour - he had to get her out of there.

“Why don’t we go somewhere more private … where we can talk?” he suggested.

Adam meant it one way but Nora was taking it another. Either way, it got her out of the living room and into the bedroom with a full bottle of wine in each manicured hand, snatched from the bar. She poured herself a glass of wine then giggled when she realized there wasn’t a glass for her companion. She offered Timothy the bottle but he declined. Nora took a big gulp and sat on the edge of the bed, patting the empty space beside her.

He sat down, ready for some covert interrogation. The Agency knew O’Dowd’s side of the equation and he didn’t know what Matt and Kris recorded during the phone call this morning or were going to pick up during the meeting this afternoon. This was a unique opportunity; Nora knew Donovan’s side and that was the missing piece of the puzzle.

“So, you know about your husband’s business?” he asked, trying to steer the conversation back to what he was really interested in.

Nora emptied her glass and set it on the side table with a clunk. Putting her full attention on the pretty boy beside her, she rested a hand high on his thigh.

“I don’t want to talk business,” her hand squeezed tightly, “unless you mean getting down to business.”

With a speed that belied her size and drunken state, she pushed Adam onto his back and straddled his hips. She’d been wearing a sweater and tried yanking it off sexily but the neckline got caught under her chin and then her arms got twisted. Eventually, she got it off, freeing the large breasts barely contained in her lacy bra. She hands ran frantically over his clothed chest and arms, desperate for contact.

“Why do you still have so much on!” she whined, getting her hands under his shirt and clawing at his stomach.

Adam grabbed her hands when they started work on his belt.

“Nora,” he said firmly but gently, “we can’t … I can’t.” She looked confused. “I’m gay, remember? I like you but I don’t like women that way.” Adam managed to brace his upper body on his elbows and then on his hands until they were face to face. “You obviously need someone to talk to so let’s talk, okay?”

She tilted her head and gently traced his face with her fingers.

“I … you … you’re right but … I just need,” her voice hitched, “I just need a man’s touch. Please Tim, just … just touch me … make me feel good … then we … I’ll talk.”

Adam was at a crossroads. Yes, he’s gay but he has had ‘encounters’ with women before during his undercover work. He’d never gone all the way but he had diddled in the name of justice. She looked so miserable he might have even done this just to make her feel better but he needed the inside scoop. Forget about playing with fire, this was playing with lava. O’Dowd, Donovan and a room full of thugs were on the other side of the French doors, only sheer opaque curtains offering privacy. 

If he got caught with Donovan’s wife ….

He had to think and act fast. Adam mentally flicked a switch in his head, surveyed the situation with an agent’s eye, and got to it. Tossing her sweater to her, he told her to get into the bathroom. She didn’t want to leave the bed but he told her if she wanted him, she’d go to the bathroom. 

In the blink of a blurred eye, she was gone.

Adam turned on the TV and found the game – there was still 20 minutes to go. He then found a chick flick and left it on while he went to the closed bedroom doors and peered through. The guys were engaged in the game, O’Dowd and Donovan at the front. Nora started whining from the bathroom that she was horny and Adam went into warp speed. He filled her empty glass with wine and joined her. She was sitting on the counter, fondling herself. Adam locked the door and walked into her grabby arms. Her kisses were nearly as potent as drinking right from the bottle. He tried his best not to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror. They hadn’t taken any more clothes off but she was cupping his ass, holding him tight against the counter and Adam’s hands were roaming over her back, cupping her ass and the sides of the breasts. She was a loud one, moaning and mewling and gasping at the slightest caress. Adam reached over and turned on the sink full blast to try and drown her out.

After five minutes or so Nora was sated and leaning against him, her bones jelly and her heart racing. Adam caught a glimpse of himself, hair everywhere and red lipstick stains all over his face and neck. He imagined she didn’t look any better from the front. As he cleaned them both up, he got the conversation back on course and, as promised, she spilled everything she knew about her husband’s business deal with Reggie. Some of it was repetitious but there were important points they hadn’t picked up on yet, as far as Adam knew. He hadn’t exactly had the time to connect with Kris and Matt to find out what news they’d gathered so far. At some point, they were going to have to so Adam knew which direction to take this.

A sudden pounding on the door nearly made Nora scream, if not for Adam’s lightning reflexes getting a hand over her mouth.

“Timothy! What the fuck’s going on in there?!!!!!!”

“Nora, are you in there?! So help me bitch, I’ll ….”

Adam grabbed the terrified woman by the sides of her head and made her look at him.

“You do exactly as I say or we’re both dead,” he stated slowly and calmly while the door rattled.

 

xXx

 

After all the guests arrived, they kept an eye on the hallway and the bodyguard left outside the door but concentrated on what was going on in the suite. Matt put the soccer game on their TV, muting the volume, so they could coordinate what they were picking up with the action on the screen. Since Matt had already been monitoring the crowd and had become familiar with the voices and who they were, Kris picked up the feed from Adam’s piercing. For a while, all he was getting was the game with the occasional sigh and muttering from his friend on how fucking boring this was when a new voice entered the scene. It was that female voice they’d picked up earlier. She was drunk and not happy.

Sounded like she was becoming Adam’s problem now.

Adam offered her his seat and then there was grunt and loud giggles coming over the earpiece. Her name was Nora and she was flirting for all she was worth. Kris actually felt sorry for her because flirting with Adam was a lost cause – for a female anyway. They talked briefly about the game and then the flirting picked up again after she shared exactly what she thought of her husband. 

This conversation wasn’t getting anywhere, in fact it was just distracting Adam from his job. The next couple of revelations gave Kris a cardio workout – first, his heart sped up when she all but came out and said Jake Donovan was her husband and then it stopped completely when Adam suggested they go somewhere private to talk. It was obvious to Kris she didn’t want to ‘talk’ but it seemed Adam was clueless, totally out of character as that man was anything but stupid. 

The talking paused and then Adam started gently grilling her for information. Ah, so that was his plan. Okay, Kris felt better until Nora said she didn’t want to talk business – she wanted to get down to business and then whined about him still having his clothes on. Adam tried dissuading her but in the end seemed to give in. 

“Hey man, is everything alright?” Matt asked, noticing Kris stiffen up and a red wash covering his face.

“No! It’s far from alright … Adam’s making love to Donovan’s wife!”

“What the fuck!” Matt exclaimed, pulling the plug on Kris’ headphones so they could both listen to the audio. “Is he out of his mind?!”

When Matt wasn’t getting off on listening to Adam having sex, something was definitely wrong.

Kris had kinda jumped the gun – they weren’t having sex yet but it sounded like it was going that way. Adam reminded Nora he was gay but she didn’t seem to care. She was desperate for a man’s touch and apparently it didn’t matter what man accommodated her. 

Adam ordered her to the bathroom and then the sound bites were split. From the mics in the bathroom, they could hear her whining, calling out she was horny and needed him. From the agent’s piercing, there wasn’t much except thuds, clicks and mutterings. One phrase Matt and Kris picked up seemed directed towards them – “Trust me guys.”

They did trust him … up to a point. Right now it seemed he’d lost his mind.

With water rushing in the background, noises started to echo – as voices do in a bathroom. Grunts, groans, moans, gasps, begging – Nora was non-stop, Adam was relatively silent. Matt kept shaking his head and Kris was ready to implode. How the hell could he … he’s supposed to be … she’s a married woman … married to a mob boss … Adam was supposed to be dating another mob boss … was he trying to get himself killed!

Thankfully, they finished quickly, ending with unintelligible sighs and comments from a very sated woman. Adam was silent for about three minutes and then he got her talking. She confirmed some info they’d already gathered but she also gave insight into what kind of businessman her husband was and the scope of his operations. There was also new information about what Donovan really thought of Reggie … very interesting.

A pounding on the door echoed through the speakers:

‘Timothy! What the fuck’s going on in there?!!!!!!’

‘Nora, are you in there?! So help me bitch, I’ll ….’

‘You do exactly as I say or we’re both dead.’

Matt jumped into action but Kris held back.

“Kris?!”

He couldn’t believe he was about to say this: “Get ready and contact back-up but don’t jump in yet. Give Adam a chance.”

 

xXx

 

Donovan had turned around during a slow point in the game to look for his wife. When he couldn’t find her, one of his guys told him she’d been hanging out with some blond guy at the back and they’d disappeared into the bedroom. Reggie then looked around and realized Timothy was nowhere to be seen. He didn’t admit he knew who Nora was with but Reggie assured Jake that she was okay. Jake wasn’t hearing that, muttering how he should have just ignored her nagging and left her home. When they entered the other room and saw the bed sheets messed up and the bottles of wine, Reg started to wonder himself if something was up. Since the two couldn’t have snuck out unseen, they had to be behind the bathroom door. Reggie tried the handle and when he found it locked, he flipped out.

“Timothy! What the fuck’s going on in there?!!!!!!”

“Nora, are you in there?! So help me bitch, I’ll ….”

Barely thirty seconds passed but it seemed like thirty minutes before the door opened. Bright light flooded the bedroom revealing Timothy shirtless standing by the counter and Nora sitting on the closed toilet lid wearing Timothy’s button-up, a glass of wine in her hand.

Before a word was spoken, a fist flew out and Timothy was on his ass, rubbing his jaw.

Nora was suddenly crouched on the floor, a hand on the hurt man’s shoulder.

“Jake, what the fuck!”

Donovan was red-faced and sputtering half words. Reggie leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. He didn’t look mad – more curious – and he couldn’t help seeing some humor in this situation, despite his boy getting hurt. Timothy got to his feet and glared at the man who hit him. Reggie swore he could see rage behind those blue eyes but Timothy kept it in check. Without a word of explanation, Timothy shoved a wet sweater into Donovan’s chest. The angry husband held the wet rag away from himself, opening it up to reveal a huge purple stain on one side.

“She spilled red wine on her top. I was trying to wash it off,” the young man explained slowly, hand still on his jaw.

“I was cold so he gave me his shirt,” Nora added. “Jake, how could you embarrass me like this!”

“Embarrass you?!” he finally got out. “How could you do this to me?! Being half naked with another man under my nose … in front of my associates?! In front of our host!”

“Oh, don’t worry about me Jake,” Reggie commented, “but you do owe my lover an apology.”

“You’re what?”

The three were quiet while Jake processed. 

“So … then … he wasn’t … he couldn’t ….”

“Right.”

“I’m sorry,” Timothy finally said. “She spilled wine on herself while we were watching a movie. Red wine stains so I was trying to wash it out.” He gestured to the sink full of reddish tinged water, the soap, and the wet sweater. “Nothing else was going on, I swear.”

“I … believe you. I don’t like it, but okay. Nora, its time you went home and-“

“Timothy”

“Right, Timothy … I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions.” He held out his hand and they shook. “Curtis can take you home,” he told his wife.

“Alright, but what about my ….”

“You can keep my shirt.”

“I hope this won’t affect our discussions,” Reggie commented with tight lips.

“What? No, of course not – business is business – and this isn’t.”

“Good. Timmy, can you get Nora straightened out and take her to the door. Curtis is waiting in the hall.”

“Of course.”

Donavan and Reggie headed back to the game and it was like the soap opera never happened. Nora threw her arms around Adam’s neck, squeezing tightly.

“Oh my God, you’re brilliant. Thank you.”

Adam got out of her embrace.

“Do up the buttons and get your purse.” He grabbed a plastic laundry bag out of the bathroom and stuffed her wet sweater into it before handing it over.

Still the gentleman – though the same couldn’t be said for her husband who went back to the game – Adam walked her to the door. He opened it to see a giant dude waiting.

“Curtis?”

He just nodded. The size of a football defenseman, he was definitely guard material. As Nora was thanking Adam again, he felt the hairs on his neck rise. Glancing quickly, he caught the other man staring at him intently.

“Thank you again Timothy. I’m sorry I caused so much trouble.”

“And I’m sorry you had such an awful anniversary.”

She cupped his cheek and whispered, “Oh, it wasn’t so bad. I hope we meet again sometime.”

Adam kissed the back of her hand and she left. He stayed in the open doorway as the couple waited for the elevator. Curtis kept looking strangely at him and Adam did his best not to get in the dude’s face to find out what his problem was … he was just in the mood to punch something.

 

xXx

 

Kris paced around the room, rubbing his neck, getting more and more agitated. Thank God it had all worked out. Back-up was ready to storm the suite if necessary but that wasn’t the point - Adam should NEVER had put himself in that position. At least he had the good sense to tell Kris and Matt via the ear piercing that he needed to meet with them. Matt stayed in their suite to continue monitoring and Kris headed their “safe” room; it was a separate room on a separate floor that the agents could use for meetings where they’d be undetected. Adam didn’t have a key so Kris went ahead to wait for him.

Only one knock made it through the wooden door before it was yanked open and Adam was yanked in. Before he could get a word out, Kris pounced.

“What the fuck were you thinking?!!!! Do you know you could have gotten yourself killed several times over?!!!! You put this entire operation in jeopardy!!!!”

“Don’t hold back Kris … tell me exactly what’s on your mind,” Adam wryly answered.

“And how could you … you know … you’re gay ….”

“No kidding.”

“Seriously Adam, how could you … sleeping with Reggie is bad enough but to … do that … just to make her talk … Oh my God, I can’t even …,” he rambled.

“Breathe … breathe … Kris, just calm down.”

“I can’t calm down!”

“Then spit it out so we can move on. I need to know what information you and Matt have got so far so I can compare it to what Nora told me.”

“How could you?”

“You already asked that. I just did what I had to do to get her to talk.”

“But to … to ….”

“Kris, you’re wasting time I don’t have.”

“How could you have sex with a woman?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh don’t act dumb, Matt and I heard you … how could you … and she’s married too!”

If Adam wasn’t so stunned by Kris’ reaction, he would have been laughing at how randomly upset his friend seemed to be. Yeah, woman weren’t his first choice but he did what he had to do and for the record ….

“We didn’t have sex.”

“We heard you!”

“What you heard was me getting her off with kisses and touches … there was no Tab P inserted into Slot V. I understand it may have sounded like we were fucking but we weren’t. She was drunk, highly sensitive and required the minimum amount of work. I certainly hope you two listened just as intently when she told me all she knew about Donovan and O’Dowd’s deal.”

Kris was more relieved to hear his best friend and that woman didn’t have sex than he expected himself to be. 

“Yes, we got it all.”

“Good.” Adam grabbed a bottled water out of the mini bar and set it gingerly against his aching jaw as he took a seat. “So, fill me on what I missed while I was busy.”

The two men talked quickly, knowing if Timothy was away too long Reggie would come looking for him. All the while, Adam kept the cold bottle against the bruise and Kris couldn’t keep his eyes off Adam’s face. When it was time to go, Adam handed over the now warm bottle. Kris reached out and gently touched the cold skin.

“I’m sorry you got hurt.”

“I could have ducked and taken him with one punch but it wouldn’t have helped the cause any.”

“True.”

Brown eyes and blue eyes gazed at each other, fingertips whispering over pain. Whatever it was between them got interrupted by Adam’s watch alarm, signaling he had to leave. Both smiled and shared a quick hug before Adam hurried away. 

Kris sat back down and looked at his fingers and the water bottle. His rage was gone, replaced with relief and … emptiness?

 

xXx

On the drive home, Nora and Curtis were quiet. She had fallen asleep but the bodyguard’s mind was working overtime.

He’d seen that guy before ….

And his name wasn’t Timothy.


	7. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A “honeytrap” is the use of seduction in a spy operation.
> 
>  
> 
> So this story is wrapping up. If you haven’t noticed already, there is one more chapter after this, just in time for me as college starts up again in a few weeks. This is a rough chapter but I hope you all enjoy it. I promise the final one will be happier.

Three weeks had passed since San Francisco. Reggie never did bring up what happened between his boy and Donovan’s wife; Adam was thankful but also a tad worried. Maybe in some twisted way Reggie was grateful to Timothy for keeping Nora out of their hair while negotiations (amidst the soccer game) were going on. That night Adam let Reggie have his way but the next day, they spent a good four hours sightseeing before they got on the private jet and headed back to LA and reality kicked back in.

 

Their relationship had taken a turn for the better since then, the biggest sign being that Reggie brought Timothy to his home. It was a sprawling spread in the Hollywood Hills surrounded by an electrified fence and armed guards. All this security was meant to keep unwanted guests out but Adam also had the sense that it was meant to keep some things in. At first, Reggie just brought him there for dinner and sex before having his driver take him home. Timothy was always picked up and driven – never allowed to drive himself. After a week of that, Timothy stayed overnight twice. The guest was never entirely alone, being watched by O’Dowd’s men or under the scrutiny of security cameras everywhere. Thankfully, nothing detected the surveillance equipment he was wearing so conversations and observations shared in whispered tones still got thru to the Agency. On the downside, he couldn’t freely snoop. 

There was only room without a camera connected to Reggie’s security system and Adam learned the reason for that the first night they had sex in his bedroom. O’Dowd liked being in control, whether in business or his private life. Adam became aware of this very early on in their relationship, earlier if you count the background information Agent Lambert read before transforming into Timothy Fairchild. The first night they had sex, he’d been introduced to Reggie’s penchant for being a little rough in bed. That lead to silken ties that held him to whichever headboard he found himself sprawled out in front of. Those bonds were easy for Reggie to carry around on their “dates”. Once they got to the man’s own bedroom, he expanded his equipment with cuffs, plugs, cock rings, vibrators and dildos. They were stored in a locked box that Adam had yet to look in; he was sure there were more surprises that would appear in time. It was obvious Reggie wanted at least one part of his life kept private and Adam was thankful for small favors. It was hard enough dealing with the glares and a few winks from those other men. If they’d witnessed the actual acts, it would be nearly unbearable.

For the first time, Timothy had been invited to stay the weekend. As it turned out, this was the grand finale of Agent Lambert’s assignment. Donovan and his crew came down from the Bay Area for the transfer of contraband and the money exchange. Friday night there was a BBQ and then everyone retired to their rooms for the night. Reggie shared with Timothy another new toy from his box. 

Sunday morning Adam awoke to find the other side of the bed empty. He knew the kingpins were going to be in talks all day so he took his time getting up, enjoyed a long shower alone and dressing for comfort, not seduction. Adam tried to look self-entertained for any prying eyes but he was aware of everything going on around him, reporting his observations back to Kris and Matt with subtle, soft messages meant for their electronic ears only. A lot of O’Dowd’s business was behind closed doors but there was plenty of shop talk going on with the other men who accompanied their bosses.

If all went according to plan, by sunset on Sunday, O’Dowd would be off the streets and the world would be a little safer.

And if all went to plan, Adam would have his life back.

Reggie and Donovan were inside and Adam was out, sitting on a lounger under the patio awning. He started to think about everything he was missing while on assignment. Besides his own identity, he missed Kris. Whatever he thought about, whatever he wished he could do, Kris was always in the picture. He’d had a crush on him since they first met at the Police Academy but hadn’t let on. At the time Kris was engaged and Adam had to be happy with best friend status. During the wedding ceremony, when the minister asked if anyone had any reason - etc., etc., etc. - Adam objected in his head but kept silent otherwise. Then Kris’ marriage fell apart and Adam filled that void in Kris’ life in a platonic way. Over the years, the bond of friendship had only gotten stronger and Adam feared he’d started taking it … taking Kris … for granted. 

He picked up a cold bottled water and pressed it against the heated skin on his face. As drips rolled down his cheek and along his jaw, his mind wandered back to San Francisco. If he closed his eyes, he could still smell the subtle aftershave Kris always wore and feel his friend’s fingers ghosting over the growing bruise Donovan gave him. When their eyes locked, something new was there. Adam didn’t want to overthink it, afraid if he did he’d convince himself there was nothing between them but space.

Still, once this assignment was over, he would reconsider the value of overthinking.

 

xXx

 

He watched him.

Every moment … minute … second they were in the same room, he watched him.

It wasn’t his job but he had to … he had to figure it out.

Since he’d seen him weeks ago, Curtis couldn’t solve the puzzle. It shouldn’t bother him; after all he never expected to run into him again ….

… until he did.

Curtis had worked for Donovan for nearly ten years. He wasn’t just a bodyguard; he was his boss’ eyes and ears. No one pays serious attention to a bodyguard, standing silently and menacingly, ready to pounce. Many think because he’s so big his brain must be so small and they tend to speak freely around him. Curtis had proven himself many times, giving Donovan a heads up when someone was playing him or something was going on he should know about.

Finding Timothy at the house was a surprise. This weekend the exchange was going down, not exactly the time to be fucking your boy toy. To his credit, O’Dowd’s lover physically stayed out of the way but coincidently he was everywhere. Curtis watched him under hooded eyes, noticing that Timothy’s gaze often wandered towards the action, and he had this habit of playing with his ear. The bodyguard could have sworn too that sometimes the man talked to himself. Now Curtis couldn’t claim he’d never talked to himself from time to time, but Timothy seem to do so a lot. Either he had a screw loose or something else was going on. The more time he spent in Timothy’s presence, the more uneasy Curtis started to feel. He thought about sharing his suspicions with Donovan but knew his boss wouldn’t be interested without proof.

It was early Sunday morning and the big bosses were closed up in O’Dowd’s office. Donovan was okay with security so Curtis was able to wander around. He headed for the kitchen, grabbed some food and drink then headed to the pool for an alfresco breakfast. He was soaking up the sun when he spotted Timothy come outside from the other end of the patio. Going unnoticed, Curtis stayed quiet and continued eating. Timothy seemed to stroll aimlessly, fingers playing with his ear again before heading under a large awning that cast a dense shadow over a collection of outdoor furniture.

Timothy took a seat in the shade. He wasn’t completely robed in darkness but enough to deepen his features. 

Blonde hair went dark.

A switch clicked on in Curtis’ brain.

Before Curtis joined Donovan’s organization, he’d been around, entering the underworld after he got kicked off the LA police force for beating a fellow officer to a pulp in a bar fight. There were hundreds of men in his department but a few stood out, one in particular. There was talk around this young officer fast-tracking it to detective in an unusually short period of time.

His name was Adam Lambert.

Leaving the rest of his breakfast untouched, Curtis hurried inside. He had to get proof before it was too late.

 

xXx

 

Reggie didn’t see Timmy until late afternoon when the older man tracked him down for a quickie. After getting his young lover into the bedroom, he undid his boy’s belt with gusto and yanked his pants and briefs down with one pull. He then ordered Timmy onto his knees and over the edge of the bed. Within a minute, slicked fingers were quickly working, scissoring, and then a hot, hard cock was slamming into the pale ass. Normally the quieter one, Reggie was groaning and moaning, telling his lover how fucking hot he was, how well he opened and took it from him. He reached under and fondled the silken ball sack, nipping at Timmy’s shoulders through his shirt. The boy’s gasps and cries drove Reggie on. He grabbed the boy’s shoulders, straightening him so his sweaty back was pressed against the hard chest. The new angle made Timmy scream as did the large hand now furiously pumping his cock. All too soon, Timmy’s head lulled back and his body shook as he shot streams over the bedspread. Reggie held their bodies together until his own climax rocked his body, filling the condom to the near breaking point. Slipping out carefully, he tied the end and dropped it in the trash bin. 

Timmy had slowly pulled his pants up to cover his ass but was still on the floor, sweating and breathing heavily. Reggie grew hard again just looking at him, knowing he’d caused that blissed out glow. If he’d had time, he would have tied Timmy down and leisurely watched his largest dildo get swallowed by that ass, the only sounds the wetness of the lube and the mewling of his lover.

By the time Reggie cleaned up, Timothy was dressed and gathering up the soiled bedspread. Reggie turned him around and kissed him deeply.

“After tonight baby, the world is ours. Think about where you want to go … anywhere. It’ll just be the two of us.”

Timmy smiled widely and kissed him back.

“Be careful.”

“Always.”

Reggie left and Adam surfaced. First thing he did was go to the bathroom and wash Reggie off of him. Thank God this was the last time that man would get his hands on him. After that he poured some scotch from the room’s private bar and ventured onto the balcony. Looking over the hills, he smiled and sipped, knowing his team was out there, ready to pounce.

 

xXx

 

The relief Kris had felt when they first realized Reggie’s home security didn’t detect Adam’s surveillance device was off the charts. That was his second biggest worry. His biggest worry, of course, was the fact that Adam was undercover in the first place. Over the past few months, as each day passed and the Timothy façade held, Kris felt a little better but he never completely relaxed. Once they knew the location of Reggie’s home, the Agency set up surveillance in a nearby house. Each time Adam headed out to the Hollywood Hills, so did his back-up. Because anything could happen at any time, Adam kept his ear piercing turned on 24/7. He used to shut it off during sex (if the opportunity presented itself) since Reggie wasn’t going to talk business at a time like that. However, being in his headquarters, there was always the chance that something would come up, no pun intended. 

Kris bit the bullet and listened in. When the assignment began, he just couldn’t, embarrassed at eavesdropping on something so intimate. Somewhere along the way – if he had to pin down an exact time, it was probably San Francisco – it stopped being embarrassment and had morphed into jealousy. It probably was jealousy all along but he just couldn’t admit it to himself. If possible, Adam was on his mind more and more. Kris finally admitted to himself that he had romantic feelings for his co-worker and best friend. That moment in San Fran when they sat on the bed together and Kris let his fingers wander over Adam’s face, his heart sped up and hadn’t slowed down one beat since. 

Tonight, the case was basically over. There would still be the trial and more than likely Adam would be called to testify but he wouldn’t in danger any longer. Weeks of work wrapping up loose ends would keep everyone on the team busy. After that they’d be given a break, a chance to decompress.

Maybe by then Kris would be able to tell Adam how he felt.

Hopefully Adam would feel the same way. Kris would hate to lose their friendship over this.

“Kris, something’s going wrong.”  
Matt was manning the audio and Kris hurried to his side.

“What is it?”

“Not sure but Adam says something’s goin’ down.”

Kris started pacing, rubbing his neck: “Damn it, I wish this was two-way so we could talk to him.”

“Hold on, he’s back.”

‘I’m still in Reggie’s room, looking down from the balcony onto the driveway. Donovan just came charging out. He and his men are getting into their cars. Reggie just came out and he’s spitting mad. They’re yelling at each other. I can’t quite make out what’s being said but it looks like the deal is dead.’

Upon hearing that, Matt left Kris to the audio feed from Adam and got on the phone, contacting Director Cowell. After a brief conversation, Matt was back.

“Cowell is contacting the units lying in wait at the warehouse. They’re going in.”

“What about us? Do you swarm O’Dowd’s compound?”

“Not yet. He wants us to wait until Adam gives us more information.”

‘Kris … Matt … it time to act. I’m going to head onto the grounds. Once the team is in, I’ll meet you at the main gates. I’m keeping the mic on so you know where I am.”

Kris jumped into action, getting on the radio and ordering the four SWAT teams hiding nearby to descend on the house.

“But Kris, Cowell said to wait.”

“Adam needs. He’s the one in charge here. Go!”

In record time, the US government descended on Reggie O’Dowd’s compound, smashing through the gates, guns out. Out of every door, possibly every window, criminals poured out. Some put up a good fight, others surrendered on the spot. Kris was in the middle of it all, issuing orders and making sure their detainees were secured. He lost track of time, a mad house spinning around him. Finally, when it seemed as if they’d captured everyone, Kris had time to run back to the main gate.

Adam wasn’t there.

Kris looked around in case his partner was surveying the take down. 

Still, he couldn’t find him.

He couldn’t find Reggie either.

Gut coiling, he got on his phone to the command center where Ashley had taken over for him on the surveillance.

“Ash, has Adam checked in?”

“No, and we’ve lost his signal.”

“How the hell could that happen?! It was working fine!”

“I don’t know. Just after you left and I took over, there was a noise and the sound went. Then I noticed the GPS signal had disappeared too.”

“Well, he has to be here somewhere. Keep working on it.”

“Will do.”

Kris was getting frantic now, to hell with having to be the level-headed one in charge. Something bad has happened, he was sure of it.

“Kris!” He looked behind him, spotting Matt running his way. “Just got a call from the Stevens. They grabbed Donovan and his men on the way to the airport.”

“Good, at least one of them is accounted for.”

“Yeah but we have a much bigger problem. Stevens found out why the deal went south. One of Donovan’s men recognized Adam and blew his cover. They told O’Dowd as they were leaving.”

“Shit! I knew this was going to happen!” 

He got on the phone with the Director and explained the situation. Cowell authorized his men to do whatever it took to find their missing agent. He was even sending more officers with high tech equipment to help out.

With everything else under control, Kris and a handful of men took off into the house, tearing it apart from basement to attic.

“Hold on Ad”, Kris begged, “I’m going to find you.”

 

xXx

 

Another blow to the stomach folded him in half, gasping for breath. His body throbbed with pain and wetness trickled down and out of his head, the smell and taste of blood in his nose and mouth.

The hits stopped momentarily, giving Adam’s mind a chance to process what happened. He remembered realizing the deal tanked and he had to get out of there. He’d told Kris and Matt to send in the troops and he was going to meet them at the main gate. Then he opened the bedroom door and came face to fist with a punch that nearly knocked him out. Vaguely he recalled arms dragging him down the hallway and several flights of stairs until he ended up in this dark room. Immediately the assault rained down on him, both physical and verbal. 

There was only one explanation – his cover had been blown. 

The room was nothing but walls and a single light pendulum hanging from the ceiling. It was hot and musty. Two of Reggie’s biggest associates stood in the corner, glaring at him and talking low. Still, Adam could make out what they were saying, something about how Donovan had broken their deal and their boss was on the warpath. Adam had seen Reggie upset before but he had a feeling if and when they came face to face again, there would be an explosion of epic proportions that he might not survive.

His only hope was that Kris and their team would find him in time. At least his ear piercing with its audio pick-up and GPS component would give them a lead. Adam rolled, the right side of his head pressing against the ground. Severe pain shot through his head, his ear on fire. He gingerly reached up to feel mangled flesh and no metal.

So much for that. All he could hope for was that it still worked, even if he was no longer attached to his body.

The door opened and the temperature dropped considerably. Through swollen and blurred eyes, Adam looked up and saw Reggie. The older man’s body was tighter than a coil, his large fists clenched tight.

“Leave us,” Reggie ordered his men.

They nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind them. Reggie cast his dark eyes on the man who betrayed him. Not only had that boy cost him millions but he made a fool out of him in front of everyone who respected him. Reggie was certain they were laughing behind his back, calling him weak for not only bringing this spy into their midst without a more thorough background check but for letting his heart get caught up in the mix.

Reggie crouched down in front of the beaten man. It pained him to see that beautiful face marred but he had ordered his men to do it. The boy looked up at him with a steady gaze and a strength he’d never detected before. Those blue eyes were the eyes of a professional liar, not an innocent boy who gave his body and heart so willingly. Reaching into his pocket, Reggie pulled out a picture and held it up.

“This is you, isn’t it?” he demanded.

Adam tried to focus but it was hard. It was a picture of him and Kris the day they made detectives. They both looked so happy with Adam’s hand resting on his friend’s shoulder. There was no point denying it. Even though his hair was dark and he was sporting facial hair back then, it was definitely him.

“Yeah,” Adam croaked, confirming the truth.

“So you’re a cop.”

Licking his dry, split lips Adam clarified, “Federal agent actually.”

“Well at least they sent in the big guns.”

Adam half smiled at the absurdity of this conversation; it sounded like Reggie was actually complimenting him for being a good government employee. He was corrected suddenly with a punch to the gut and a vice like grip cutting off his air. Adam grabbed the wrist with both hands but couldn’t pull it loose.

“I understand you trying to take me down, that’s your job,” Reggie stated too calmly, “but to play me like that personally,” the grip tightened, “Are you even gay?”

All Adam could do was nod frantically. Reggie let go and Adam coughed, gasping for air. The rough touches turned soft as Reggie let his fingers trace that sexy body one last time. He stopped, a hand heavy on Timmy’s … or rather Adam’s … hip.

“If this policing thing stops working for you, you should try being a professional whore. You’re very good at it.”

Adam didn’t know what got into him but he gathered every ounce of strength his broken body had left and flew out an unexpected punch that got Reggie straight in the crotch. It was futile considering the two bodyguards were probably outside that door but Adam tried to get away. Slowly he got to his feet and fell, the damage done unable to hold his weight. Instead he crawled but Reggie recovered quickly and started beating the shit out of him. The door opened and the other men came in. Reggie yelled to leave them alone – he’d take care of it. 

Adam had nearly blacked out when Reggie finally stopped. Something cold pressed against his temple and he didn’t need to open his eyes to know it was the barrel of a pistol.

“I should just finish you off now,” Reggie threatened.

“You could,” his victim whispered hoarsely, “but you … won’t … g-get away … feds … every-everywhere.”

“I don’t doubt that.” The cold metal pressure moved away. “It will take them a while to find you though. Before I let you go, you owe me.”

What happened next was a nightmare. Adam tried to pull away but his body was so battered it was hopeless. Even his cries to stop were pitiful to his own ears. Reggie wasted no time undoing the younger man’s pants and dragging them off, briefs and all, leaving him naked from the waist down. Roughly he pulled on the flaccid cock and squeezed his balls painfully, all the while talking filth.

If it could get any worse, it was about to. Reggie shoved two dry fingers into Adam’s ass, scissoring him briefly. He was still slightly open from the quickie they had just over an hour ago but not enough to stop the excruciating pain that was about to come. The dull thud of the weapon being dropped nearby barely registered as Reggie released his own ragging hard on and lifted Adam’s legs, ready to rape him.

 

xXx

 

Kris was in contact with everyone scouring the house. There were no signs except a spot of blood found on the carpet of Reggie’s bedroom, near the door. They deduced that Adam had been taken before he could get away. The grounds were expansive and every inch was searched. The house itself had three floors above ground and one below. Kris refused to accept that Adam was nowhere to be found. When agents came up from the basement, stating it was clear, Kris wouldn’t accept it. Adam had to be somewhere that Reggie wanted hidden, maybe a secret room where he conducted his own business. Matt came into the basement to help.

Ashley called.

“Still no audio but the GPS blinked twice than stopped.”

“Where is it coming from?” Kris gave her his location and waited.

“It’s coming from the basement”

“But we’re in the basement … unless he’s below us.”

“No! Don’t even think it. That must mean there’s another room, we just have to find the opening. Get some more eyes down here.”

“Yes sir.”

Matt got on the radio for more help while Kris methodically searched every inch of the basement. Most of it was finished with a concrete floor, 70s era wood paneling and storage boxes piled out of the way. He noticed an expanse of wall clear of boxes. Crouching, he ran his fingers over the concrete, sensing some grooves in the hard surface. Getting up, he used his flashlight to illuminate the wall and was able to discover cracks between panels. There was a door of some kind here. Trying to stay calm, he used his fingers to feel around the opening, not caring that he was picking up slivers along the way. There were no hinges so how the fuck did it open!

Mumbling voices reached Kris’ ears. At first he thought it was the others in the basement with him and then the wooden panel started to vibrate. Kris jumped aside, gun ready. He hissed out instructions to his team members who took up their positions. The hidden door opened and two men came out and met the welcoming committee. Kris demanded to know where O’Dowd and Adam were. They didn’t know this Adam person but they gave up their boss, revealing the hidden room at the end of the hallway behind the door. 

Before anything else could be gleaned, three gun shots rang out.

Kris tore off into the darkness. Matt was behind him but not before grabbing another agent to join them and ordering the rest to take care of their new acquisitions.

There was one door at the end of the hall. Kris and Matt took up position on each side, guns ready.

“Federal Agents … we’re coming in!” Kris shouted.

The only sound was groaning. Matt tried the doorknob from his side, finding it locked. He moved to the side and fired his gun until the lock ceased to exist. He then kicked in the door and the trio hurried in, quickly accessing the situation before lowering their firearms. The smell of blood was overwhelming. The first person they spotted was the one writhing on the floor with three bullet wounds in his shoulder, upper arm and side. Reggie was conscious but in a lot of pain. Matt called for the EMTs while Kris turned to the unconscious man in the corner. There wasn’t a lot of light but there was enough to see how badly hurt his dear friend was. Kris called his name yet there was no reply. He gently pressed two fingers against a pulse point and let out a hug breath when he felt that heart still beating, albeit weakly.

It was then that he looked around and spotted the critical piece of the puzzle, how Reggie ended up shot and Adam unconscious. Both men were naked from the waist down; what was happening more than clear. Kris couldn’t care less about Reggie’s humiliation but he took off his jacket and covered Adam up. He talked softly, reassuringly, promising him he was safe, that it was all over. Kris’ knee bumped against something hard and he located the gun, the handle sitting idle on Adam’s limp palm.

 

xXx

 

Kris wandered the halls of the hospital aimlessly. He’d been in the waiting room for hours while Adam was in surgery. Despite Cowell’s orders to return to headquarters for a debriefing, Kris refused to leave the hospital until he saw for himself that Adam was going to be okay. Matt went in his place but Kris knew eventually he was going to have to leave. He had called Adam’s parents and brother. They waited with him until the doctor came to tell them how it went. Adam had broken bones and internal bleeding and a severe concussion. He’d been moved to intensive care and she wasn’t sure if there would be any brain damage until he woke up. 

The young man took the doctor aside and delicately asked if there had been any sexual assault. She said although there were signs that he’d had intercourse recently (Kris told her Reggie and Adam had earlier in the day), there were no signs of rape. It seemed Adam must have gotten hold of Reggie’s gun and shot him before it happened. Setting his personal interests aside, Kris asked about Reggie’s condition. He was also out of surgery and would recover. Though in the same hospital, Kris knew their prisoner would be on a secured floor with his own private guard detail.

Neil had suggested Kris go for a walk and he’d text him when the doctor allowed visitors. Reluctantly he took the advice but he didn’t leave the hospital’s grounds. Somehow, perhaps divine intervention, he stumbled across the chapel. He went into the quiet, peaceful room and said a prayer or two for Adam and both of them.

His hip buzzed and Kris checked the screen. He didn’t need to read it; as soon as he saw Neil’s name, he moved as fast as he could back up to the waiting room. When he got there, Neil was alone.

“Are your parents with him?”

“Yeah, we can only stay a few minutes.”

“How … how is he?”

Neil knew what Kris was referring to: “Don’t know, he hasn’t woken up yet. You saw him … in that place … how did he look to you?”

“Bad. There’s no easy way to put it.”

Neil just nodded and chewed on his bottom lip, the same way Adam did when he was anxious. Leila and Eber came down the hallway, both looking shell-shocked and wiping tears from their cheeks. Neil went next and Kris sat in silence with the Lamberts. They’d known Kris right from the start, back when Adam introduced him the first time his parents visited the Academy. Kris’ family was in Arkansas and aside from his fiancé he was alone. They welcomed him like a third son and became surrogate parents.

“I hate your jobs,” was all Leila could say.

“But we’re so proud of you both,” Eber added.

Kris just nodded.

“Did he … did he wake up when you went in?”

Eber shook his head sadly.

“Probably for the best. He needs to heal. I know you can’t go into details and I wish to God you could – we have no idea what he was doing, just that we couldn’t contact him for months – but can you tell me if it’s over?”

“Aside from the trial, yeah it’s over.”

“Thank God.”

“Amen to that,” Neil added, returning to the group. “You could have warned me … about how he looked,” he told Kris.

“I did.”

“Well ‘bad’ was an understatement.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t do that to him.”

“Did he wake up?”

“No Mom, he didn’t.”

“Leila, let’s find the cafeteria and get a coffee.”

“I don’t want a coffee Eber.”

“Well I do and you need a break.”

“But Adam ….”

“Kris will be with him. He’ll call if he needs us.”

“Yeah, Dad’s right. I could use a green tea and honey.”

“You don’t drink tea and honey.”

“I know but Adam does and I just … it’ll make me feel closer, you know?”

The Lamberts eventually left and Kris headed to Adam’s room. In the brighter lights, his friend looked even worse, face swollen and bruised, bandages covering him like a second skin. He took a seat and carefully manoeuvred his hand through various tubes to take hold of Adam’s.

“Hey … Kris.”  
“Adam! You woke up!”

“Not so loud.”

“Sorry, is this better?”

“Much.”

He looked at Adam’s swollen eyes, barely able to open.

“How could you tell it’s me?”

“After … shave.”

“Oh. Your family said you were still sleeping.”

“Been awake for a while … couldn’t deal with … explain,” he slowly and painfully uttered. “Don’t tell them.”

“But they’re worried.”

“’kay, but tell them I’m sleeping again.”

“Sure. I can’t stay long, doctor’s orders. I’m just glad to see you alive.”

“Reggie?”

“You shot him up pretty good but he’s alive … and in custody. We grabbed everyone else and the entire operation has been shut down. You done good.”

Adam smiled as best he could.

“We all done good. I’m … Imma gonna sleep now.”

“Okay, I’ll let you ….”

Adam weakly tightened his grip on Kris’ hand.

“Stay.”

Kris stayed, thankful the doctor and nurses didn’t seem in a rush to have him leave. The room was quiet except for the beeping of machines and their mingled breathing.

“Kris?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“No, I … really mean it. I … love … you.”

Kris smiled and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to those wonderfully freckled lips.

“I … love … you too.”


	8. Wrapping Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are best friends and Special Agents for the US government. When a syndicate needs infiltrating, the Director turns to Agent Lambert because of his ‘special’ qualifications. Agent Allen is not happy with his best friend being thrust into this situation but supports him anyway, professionally and personally. As the case progresses, Adam finds himself getting in over his head, causing Kris’ protective instincts – and buried feelings – to kick in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read my story. An even bigger thank you for your patience and understanding when it took a while to update. Hope it’s worth the wait

“Adam, we’re going to be late.”  
“Coming … just give me minute.”  
Kris was about to give Adam his tenth minute. Rubbing his neck, he paced back and forth from the living room to the kitchen to the living room and back again. When this day was months away, they looked forward to it. Now that it was here, they wished it was just over.  
“Adam ….”  
“Hold on!”  
He wanted to grab a beer so badly but it wouldn’t do to show up with alcohol on his breath. Instead, Kris grabbed a cold water and sat at the kitchen table, foot tapping on the floor and fingers drumming on the table.  
Two months ago the biggest case of their careers had come to a dramatic close. Their target, the prey for the Agency’s honeytrap, had been arrested with enough evidence to put him away for life, but the victory had been bittersweet. In the process, one of the government’s top agents and his best friend had nearly lost his life.  
Thinking back on what he’d walked in on still sent shivers down Kris’ spin. After a frantic search, he’d located a secret doorway in Reggie O’Dowd’s basement. No sooner had it opened then gun shots rang out ….  
FLASHBACK

Kris tore off into the darkness …There was one door at the end of the hall. Kris and Matt took up position on each side, guns ready.

“Federal Agents … we’re coming in!” Kris shouted.

The only sound was groaning. Matt tried the doorknob from his side, finding it locked. He moved to the side and fired his gun until the lock ceased to exist. He then kicked in the door and the trio hurried in, quickly accessing the situation before lowering their firearms. The smell of blood was overwhelming. The first person they spotted was the one writhing on the floor with three bullet wounds in his shoulder, upper arm and side. Reggie was conscious but in a lot of pain. Matt called for the EMTs while Kris turned to the unconscious man in the corner. There wasn’t a lot of light but there was enough to see how badly hurt his friend was. Kris called his name yet there was no reply. He gently pressed two fingers against a pulse point and let out a hug breath when he felt that heart still beating, albeit weakly.

It was then that he looked around and spotted the critical piece of the puzzle, how Reggie ended up shot and Adam unconscious. Both men were naked from the waist down; what was happening more than clear. Kris couldn’t care less about Reggie’s humiliation but he took off his jacket and covered Adam up. He talked softly, reassuringly, promising him he was safe, that it was all over. Kris’ knee bumped against something hard and he located the gun, the handle sitting idle on Adam’s limp palm.

FLASH FORWARD

The road to recovery had been long and painful. Reggie and his assholes had injured Adam’s spine with their kicking, affecting the muscles and nerves leading to his legs. The trial couldn’t wait for the key witness so Adam’s testimony was recorded from his hospital bed and aired in court. The physical effects of the beating still painted his face and may have helped the prosecutor’s case, a visual for the jury that dramatically got the point home about how dangerous that criminal was. 

Once the trial ended and Reggie was locked away, the young agent put all his energy into rehab. Despite everything he’d been through, Adam remained optimistic, determined to get his life back. He dutifully went through rehab with a smile on his face. Once he was able to walk – albeit with elbow crutches – he was released as an outpatient. Leila insisted on moving in to help him and he gratefully accepted her help. While she ran errands, Kris drove his best friend to his rehab appointments and stayed to cheer him on. Stopping for ice cream and parking by the beach became their daily celebration for living. Both men had looked forward to this little ritual, describing it as their weekly dates. After professing their love to each other in the hospital, they took it slow. They kissed now and again but their priority was getting Adam well. Everything after that was icing on the cake.

A wheelchair had been sent home with Adam but he refused to use it, insisting he wouldn’t be walking on his own if he fell back on the chair. Well, that logic was flawed and he overdid it, ending up back in the chair and his rehab suspended until he gave his body a rest. The optimism flew out the window and he fell into a depression. With the depression came nightmares, all of them connected to O’Dowd. Adam would awake screaming and it wasn’t until his mom held him that he calmed. As the depression deepened, so did the terror Adam relived. In his nightmares, Reggie hadn’t been stopped in that windowless room deep under his house. He succeeded in raping him brutally before letting his men have a go at him. Adam told his mom and Kris he didn’t remember but he did; he definitely didn’t want Kris to know that he was there in his dreams, screaming Adam’s name but being held back by Director Cowell ordering him not to interfere in the investigation. 

Kris ended up moving in since he found himself practically living there, making at least two trips a day and nearly every night following Leila’s frantic phone calls. As much as she loved her son, she couldn’t handle him anymore. Kris was technically staying in the guest room but in actuality he spent every night in Adam’s bed, holding him, keeping the demons at bay and calming his friend when a few snuck through into his dreams. Gradually Adam’s depression went away and when he was able to return to rehab, he took it easy this time.

Heat blossomed on Kris’ cheeks as he recalled how they celebrated the day Adam lost ….

“Okay G-man, let’s get this over with.”

Adam was already at the door waiting for him, dressed in one of his best suits, dark hair neatly combed and beard impeccable, and a silver caped walking stick held tightly in his fist. Kris left his untouched water bottle on the table, dug his keys out of his pocket with one hand and reached for the doorknob with the other. Before his fingers could curl around the brass orb, they were intercepted by another set of fingers, intertwining with his and lifted up for a gentle kiss.

“I couldn’t have gotten through these months without you,” Adam softly uttered, now holding their entwined hands against his heart.

Kris smiled that crooked grin that Adam treasured and step towards the taller man until Kris could feel his love’s heart beat against his own.

“You would have found the light, I just wanted to be there for you.”

“You were.”

“And I’m gonna keep being there.”

“You better be.” Adam leaned down and they kissed slowly, aware they didn’t have much time and needing to savor each millisecond. “We’re going to be late.”

“I’ve been telling you that forever,” Kris reminded him.

“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind, you know?”

Kris kissed his man again quickly.

“I know, so let’s get this over with.”

~ ♥ ~

The drive was quiet. Adam sat in the passenger seat, looking at the scenery and chewing on his lips. Today was big and the weight of what could happen was heavy on his shoulders. He glanced sideways at Kris who was concentrating on the road. 

Kris would get them there safe; Kris always kept him safe. 

Adam had been treading water, it seemed, for months. He vaguely remembered waking in the hospital and finding Kris at his side. Through a haze of pain and confusion the one thing clear in his mind was his love for his best friend. Lying in a hospital bed wasn’t that romantic but he’d come too close to losing it all and it couldn’t wait any longer. Hearing Kris say ‘I love you’ back was better medicine than anything the medical profession could offer.

It had been rough … Adam had been a bitch … there was anger and pain and resentment and self-pity … much of the time they had been swimming in a toxic cocktail ….

“Ad?”

Adam slowly turned his head, for a moment still lost in his thoughts.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“What?”

“Today … it’s going to be okay.”

‘It’s going to be okay’ – Kris always said that. Adam smiled and turned back to the window.

Kris had never wavered. When it counted, and when it didn’t, Kris was there and Adam was convinced without his help, they wouldn’t be here ….

And here was a beautiful place to be.

~ ♥ ~

REMINISCING …

Closing his eyes, Adam willed the dark memories away and returned to a special night one week ago that changed everything. Had it only been one week? It seemed like it had always been this way.

Adam had just finished his last round of rehab and the two men had gone out to celebrate. With his new stylin’ walking stick (it sounded swankier than ‘cane’) in one hand and Kris’ strong hand in the other, they’d gone out to dinner at a romantic bistro in Venice Beach and then for a walk under a full moon. They tried walking on the sand but the unsteadiness of the powdery ground was aggravating his hip so they stuck to the boardwalk. Finishing the night in traditional fashion with ice cream cones, they headed home.

Adam headed straight for the couch and slowly sat, let out a long sigh as the weight came off his hips and legs. He closed his eyes, waiting for Kris to join him with the TV remote to begin the nightly ritual of arguing over what to watch. When the side of the cushion didn’t compress, he opened his eyes to see Kris still standing at the door, hands shoved into his jacket pockets and looking around with a sudden discomfort.

“Well, if you’re going to be like that we can watch what you want tonight, although I expect no arguments when True Blood comes on tomorrow night,” Adam teased. When no comeback was uttered, he realized something was wrong and asked his best friend as much.

“I … um … I guess I should,” he muttered, looking everywhere but at Adam. “Yeah, I guess I should go … pack.”

“Pack? Why?”

“Rehab is over … you’re getting around okay on your own ….”

“I’m still using a cane and I’m won’t be 100% anymore.”

“But you’re coping … you’re doing great … really!”

“That’s not enough reasons Kristopher.”

Kris rubbed his neck, “You aren’t having nightmares anymore.”

“Because you’re holding me close at night, keeping the demons away.”

The younger man didn’t know how to reply to that so he just shrugged, “Well, this was temporary to begin with and we’re going back to work soon and things have to get back to normal.”

Adam knew there was more to this than weak excuses but his heart was in his throat at the thought of Kris moving out and he couldn’t challenge him anymore. Kris took the silence for agreement and headed towards the guest bedroom. On the way by, Adam’s hand came out and caught his wrist, stopping him dead in his tracks. With a firm but demanding tug, Kris came around the side of the couch and sat beside him.

“I don’t need normal baby … I need you.”

Kris turned an adorable pink as Adam cupped his jaw and drew him close. The kisses were slow and deep, yearning to strengthen the connection already between them. They moved closer to each other, tried to climb inside each other until Adam pulled away and awkwardly attempted to get to his feet. Immediately, Kris grew concerned.

“You alright? Leg cramp?”

“No … no, help me up.”

Once both men were on their feet, Adam took Kris’ hand and headed towards the back of the house.

“Where?”

“The bedroom,” Adam replied softly, moving as fast as he could without his cane.

“Do you need to lie down?”

They’d reached the bedroom and the bed by now and Adam reclined, pulling Kris down on top of him.

“Something like that.”

The kissing resumed and the clothes disappeared. They didn’t need to speak, they just knew it was time to leave behind the careful, hesitant touches that grew out of concern for Adam’s physical health. With the cane forgotten on the floor, the men made love for the first time. During those months with Reggie O’Dowd, Adam had vowed never to bottom again. Kris was inexperienced and had no problem with Adam being in charge. The problem was it was difficult to move on top of his lover so Adam became a top from the bottom. He tenderly worshiped Kris’ body and when it was time to come together, Adam laid on his back and watched in awe as they slowly joined. Seeing the emotions cross over that adorable face was mesmerizing. Every word, every instruction was followed. Adam took hold of his lover’s hips and helped him move in unison. There were several men in Adam’s past but the connection had never been this real … this strong … this perfect. Nearly loosing this chance to love each other was overwhelming and both men came together, gasping for precious air and crying out for each other. 

Kris had tried to speak but all that came out was gibberish. Adam beamed and him and laughed. They were now lying side by side, just looking at each other. Kris laid a warm hand over Adam’s heart.

“I love you.”

That precious declaration welled up deep in Adam’s chest and he couldn’t breathe. An indescribable feeling overtook him and his body began shaking in deep sobs. Kris gathered him tight in his arms, rocking the larger man in his arms, reassuring him everything was going to be okay, that he was here to stay.

Later that night, in the silence of their bedroom, Adam had laid awake with a killer headache, trying to figure out what happened. He couldn’t put a name to it but it was something trapped deep in his soul that Kris’ three little words had busted free. A heaviness he hadn’t realized he was carrying was gone and the gap had been filled with light. He spooned Kris against his front and closed his eyes, finally at peace ….

~ ♥ ~

“Hey … Adam? You okay?”

Adam wiped the blur out of his eyes and looked around. The car was parked in front of an all too familiar building and the passenger door was open. Kris was kneeling, holding his hand and looking up at him with concern.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah … we’re here already?”

Kris looked back at the federal building and nodded.

“We don’t have to go in just yet.”

Adam looked at his watch.

“Actually we do.”

“He can wait.” A gentle finger swiped under his eye. “Sure you’re okay? What happened?”

“Remembering.”

“Oh … um, about R- ….”

“About us,” he softly replied, blushing a little. “It’s still soooo ….”

A crooked smile appeared, “Yeah, for me too.”

Unhooking his seatbelt, Adam leaned in and they kissed quickly.

“If I don’t get in there, he’s going to send Matt out to find us.” 

“Oh God, then we better move,” Kris declared in horror. 

Laughing, they headed inside. A couple of times their hands brushed and both had to fight the urge to clasp on. This wasn’t the place or time to let the cat out of the bag. In the lobby, Adam was welcomed back with handshakes, nods and smiles. When the elevator opened on the fifth floor, the welcome was more tangible … and very loud. All their closest colleagues were on their feet, applauding him and balloons were anchored to his desk. The handshaking and catching-up just started when the Director’s assistant appeared and ushered him down the hall.

“So, have you two had sex yet?”

At first Kris wasn’t sure he heard that over all the racket of the people getting back to work. One look at Matt’s mischievous grin told him he had unfortunately heard right.

He prayed to God no one else had heard the big mouth.

Grabbing him by the upper arm, Kris hauled him into an interrogation room and slammed the door.

“Why Kristopher, this is perfect,” Matt teased, leading Kris to a chair, pushing him down, and morphing into government agent mode, arms crossed and face serious.

“Mr. Allen, all the evidence collected over the past few months has supported my theory that you and Mr. Lambert have the hots for each other.” He slammed the metal table with his fist and shouted, “I dare you to dispute the facts!”

Kris got real uncomfortable real fast and Matt dropped the charade. He meant it to be funny but felt like shit when he saw his buddy fidget and rub his neck like he was trying to saw his head off. Dragging a chair next to his cohort, he sat and apologized.

“It’s … it’s okay Matt, it’s just ….”

“Oh. My. God. You love him.”

Kris nodded quickly.

“And he loves you”

A shy smile warmed his face and Kris nodded again.

“When … I mean, I don’t need details but … when did you two figure it out?”

“Years ago?” To his credit, Matt didn’t react with the surprise he felt. Instead, he placed a supportive hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Adam told me he’s had a crush on me since the Academy. Guess I was a late bloomer, ignorant, or in denial.”

“Duh, I think I had suspicions before you did.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. Cowell should promote you.”

“Forget it, I like it better in the pit. So when did you put two and two together?”

“I guess it started during this last assignment. Thinking about Adam being touched by ….”

“’nough said about that.”

“Right. Well, that whole episode with him missing and then hurt and I finally admitted it to myself. It’s taken time … I didn’t want to rush things while he was recovering … but we finally … you know … and I’m an idiot for wasting all those years and I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to him, if he’ll let me.”

Matt gave Kris a hug.

“No worries there buddy, no worries there.”

~ ♥ ~

Adam was greeted by Director Cowell with a stiff handshake and lukewarm cup of coffee. Adam took a seat and pasted a smile on his face as his boss went on and on about how proud the Agency was with his work and how much of a valued team member his was. This was all just smoke and mirrors to hide the real reason he was here.

The moment Adam learned he was going to be saddled with a cane for the rest of his life he knew his days as an undercover agent were over. Oh sure, he could have still been an agent but not the kind of agent he wanted to be. Adam also knew he wouldn’t be fired, just reassigned. Odds were he’d get a paper-pushers job with a tiny window to tease him with the world outside. He’d rather Reggie had killed him than be trapped behind four walls.

Sure enough, once Cowell stopped praising him, reality struck. It wasn’t quite as bad as he thought. He was being offered an executive position but it still came with a desk and lots of paper. A big fat raise went along with it but Adam wasn’t into this job for the money.

“Agent Lambert, you have one week to let us know your decision.”

Adam stood and offered his hand, “I don’t need a week to decide Director. I can tell you my answer right now.”

~ ♥ ~

The waves crashed on the beach as Adam and Kris relaxed on the bench, licking their ice cream cones.

“I wish I could have seen his face when you resigned.”

“For a split second, I swear his façade cracked but he held it together.”

“So … what now?”

Adam reached over and took Kris’ hand as it rested on his lap.

“I’m not sure. I’ve got a pretty tidy sum coming to me in my pension and I don’t fancy it sitting around in the bank.”

“What about travel?”

“I’ve travelled already.”

“Yeah, but most of that was for work or rejuvenating to get back to work. I mean go someplace just to relax and forget about things.”

“I’d only do that if you were with me.”

“Point taken. I used up this year’s vacation time to help you recuperate.”

Adam leaned over and kissed a blob of pecan ice cream off the corner of his lover’s mouth.

“Have I told you how much I appreciate your tender loving care?”

Kris turned his head enough to make lip contact.

“Yes, and don’t stop. I don’t know how I’m going to handle work without you there. We’ve been partners forever.”

“We don’t have to stop being partners baby. You asked what I wanted to do with myself? Actually, I’ve had this thought for a few years now that I’d like to set up my own security consulting business. Sure, there’ll be some paperwork but I can hire an assistant to handle that so I get out in the field. I’d of course have others working for me but I could use a partner to help run the operation. Whataya say?”

Kris knew exactly what to say. He was happy with his job and had never given another line of work thought but with Adam leaving, would he still be happy? No. If he and Adam started their own agency, would he be happy? Spending 24/7 with his lover and best friend? Hell yeah!

“I say my name should go before yours on the business cards and letter head because alphabetically speaking it sounds better. However, if you agree to hire a lady assistant or a butt ugly man, I’ll relent and your name can top mine.”

“So you like being on bottom then?”

“Only if you’re on top.”  
“I guess you’re unemployed then.”

“In two weeks, yeah.”

Adam turned back to his melting ice cream and look a long, slow lick up the cone. Kris’ pants suddenly got tight.

“Wonderful. It will give me time to find a location and get a license and plan the honeymoon.”

Kris had been thinking about the hardness between his legs and didn’t quite catch the last part.

“Back up there buddy. Did you say ‘honeymoon’?”

Adam took away Kris’ ice cream and dumped both cones into a trash can beside the bench. Turning, Adam then took Kris’ hands in his and smiled tenderly.

“I was trying to be clever and sneak that one in but you deserve better. Kris, I’ve loved you since forever and I want this partnership to be more than just business. After these last few months, I’ve come to realize how fleeting life can be. We nearly lost each other before we could love each other. I don’t want to waste another minute. Marry me.”

The proposal came out like a declaration, not a question but Kris didn’t care. There was no question what his answer would be.

“I don’t want Vegas, it’s too cheesy.”

“Reno?”

“Just as bad. Jamaica?”

“I burn too easily. How about ….”

Kris shut him up with a kiss. 

It didn’t really matter where they went as long as they went together.


End file.
